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Jack Fortune and the Search for the Hidden Valley book cover

Jack Fortune and the Search for the Hidden Valley

2017

Sue Purkiss
An orphan child full of mischief, Jack lives with his crotchety widow aunt in eighteenth-century England. His naughtiness knows no limits, and when one day he goes a step too far, Aunt Constance decides that she's had enough: from now on, his bachelor uncle can take care of him. Uncle Edmund is in no way prepared for a boy with boundless energy and an impish streak – and anyway, he's off to the Himalayas to search for rare plants! But Aunt Constance is absolutely determined, and Jack's uncle has no choice – he will have to take the boy with him. What follows is a terrific adventure that will see Jack and his uncle – the most unlikely of all expedition teams – sail to India, cross the jungle and reach their mountainous destination, before returning to London to present their findings to the Royal Society. Along the way, Jack will finally come to terms with the great loss that has blighted his childhood years and discover, quite unexpectedly, that he and his late father have much in common.
The Labyrinth of the Spirits book cover

The Labyrinth of the Spirits

2016

Carlos Ruiz ZafĂłn
The internationally acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author returns to the magnificent universe he constructed in his bestselling novels The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel’s Game, and The Prisoner of Heaven in this riveting series finale—a heart-pounding thriller and nail-biting work of suspense which introduces a sexy, seductive new heroine whose investigation shines a light on the dark history of Franco’s Spain In this unforgettable final volume of Ruiz Zafón’s cycle of novels set in the universe of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, beautiful and enigmatic Alicia Gris, with the help of the Sempere family, uncovers one of the most shocking conspiracies in all Spanish history. Nine-year-old Alicia lost her parents during the Spanish Civil War when the Nacionales (the fascists) savagely bombed Barcelona in 1938. Twenty years later, she still carries the emotional and physical scars of that violent and terrifying time. Weary of her work as investigator for Spain’s secret police in Madrid, a job she has held for more than a decade, the twenty-nine-year old plans to move on. At the insistence of her boss, Leandro Montalvo, she remains to solve one last case: the mysterious disappearance of Spain’s Minister of Culture, Mauricio Valls. With her partner, the intimidating policeman Juan Manuel Vargas, Alicia discovers a possible clue—a rare book by the author Victor Mataix hidden in Valls’ office in his Madrid mansion. Valls was the director of the notorious Montjuic Prison in Barcelona during World War II where several writers were imprisoned, including David Martín and Victor Mataix. Traveling to Barcelona on the trail of these writers, Alicia and Vargas meet with several booksellers, including Juan Sempere, who knew her parents. As Alicia and Vargas come closer to finding Valls, they uncover a tangled web of kidnappings and murders tied to the Franco regime, whose corruption is more widespread and horrifying than anyone imagined. Alicia’s courageous and uncompromising search for the truth puts her life in peril. Only with the help of a circle of devoted friends will she emerge from the dark labyrinths of Barcelona and its history into the light of the future. In this haunting new novel, Carlos Ruiz Zafón proves yet again that he is a masterful storyteller and pays homage to the world of books, to his ingenious creation of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, and to that magical bridge between literature and our lives.
The Book Thief book cover

The Book Thief

2005

Markus Zusak
Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still. By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found. But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up, and closed down. In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time. (Note: this title was not published as YA fiction)
The Archivist book cover

The Archivist

2022

Death is not the end. There is no God waiting for you in paradise. No afterlife where friendships severed by death are reformed and families reunited. There is only the Aether, a dimension of insatiable hunger that will possess you no matter the life you led. Yet there is hope for a lucky few. Archivists, existing between the world of the living and the world of the dead, can offer salvation… for a price. Taking your essence in the final moments before death, they become your afterlife, allowing you to speak with those who remain. When the last archivist is tricked into murder by troubled teenager, Sun-young Kang, he finds himself the centre of a suicidal cult that die at his feet. But there is more to these deaths than the Archivist realises. Someone is coming for him. The Archivist may be the closest thing to a god that walks the Earth, but is that enough to keep those he cares about safe? The Archivist is an incredibly rich novel with a truly original concept. It is cinematic in its scope and details the haunting, but also beautiful, gift an archivist could offer a person in their final moments. Advanced Praise ‘A wonderfully original paranormal mystery/thriller packed full of suspense. Highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf "I loved the idea and the execution of this book. I adored the relationship that developed between the Archivist and Sun-yung, a foul-mouthed but lovable troubled teen .... a brilliant dark fantasy novel that would appeal to a wide range of readers, and it is a story I hope continues into another book and I wait for [it] with baited breath." LoveReading
Daddy Blues book cover

Daddy Blues

Postnatal Depression and Fatherhood

Mark Williams led a content life; from a working-class background, he worked his way up into a promising career and then met the love of his life. When his wife Michelle fell pregnant, it seemed as though everything had fallen into place for them. Except Michelle’s labour didn’t go well. She was forced to undergo a C-section, an experience which deeply traumatised both of them. And when it was time to take their child home, Michelle seemed different. Gone was the woman that he had fallen in love with, replaced with someone who couldn’t pull herself out of a deep, dark depression. But it wasn’t just Michelle who felt the baby blues. Mark too felt as though he had lost something, succumbing to feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. He had never heard of fathers going through postnatal depression, but with a baby that wouldn’t stop crying and a wife he could no longer connect with, he felt like he was losing himself more and more each day. So he found solace in old habits, and found his escape at the bottom of a bottle. A touching story from a rarely explored perspective, Daddy Blues tells the tale of a man learning to deal with a problem he never knew he could have.
Inchtinn book cover

Inchtinn

Island of Shadows

Danny Weston
A fantastically creepy new mystery from Danny Weston. Noah’s emotionally detached mother insists on an adventurous trip to the remote Scottish island of Inchtinn. She’s hoping for some inspiration to write her next bestselling children’s book. Yet adventure isn’t the only thing that awaits their arrival ... Sinister beings are stirring and when things take a turn for the worse, Noah is forced to face the most unimaginable fears.
Mary Magdalene Revealed book cover

Mary Magdalene Revealed

The First Apostle, Her Feminist Gospel & the Christianity We Haven't Tried Yet

Meggan Watterson
—WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER—The Gospel of Mary Magdalene reveals a very different love story from the one we've come to refer to as Christianity. Harvard-trained theologian Meggan Watterson leads us verse by verse through Mary's gospel to illuminate the powerful teachings it contains. A gospel, as ancient and authentic as any of the gospels that the Christian bible contains, was buried deep in the Egyptian desert after an edict was sent out in the 4th century to have all copies of it destroyed. Fortunately, some rebel monks were wise enough to refuse-and thanks to their disobedience and spiritual bravery, we have several manuscripts of the only gospel that was written in the name of a woman: The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. Mary's gospel reveals a radical love that sits at the heart of the Christian story. Her gospel says that we are not sinful; we are not to feel ashamed or unworthy for being human. In fact, our purpose is to be fully human, to be a "true human being"- that is, a person who has remembered that, yes, we are a messy, limited ego, and we are also a limitless soul. And all we need to do is to turn inward (again and again); to meditate, like Mary Magdalene, in the way her gospel directs us, so that we can see past the ego of our own little lives to what's more real, and lasting, and infinite, and already here, within. With searing clarity, Watterson explains how and why Mary Magdalene came to be portrayed as the penitent prostitute and relates a more historically and theologically accurate depiction of who Mary was within the early Christ movement. And she shares how this discovery of Mary's gospel has allowed her to practice, and to experience, a love that never ends, a love that transforms everything.
WomanCode book cover

WomanCode

Perfect Your Cycle, Amplify Your Fertility, Supercharge Your Sex Drive, and Become a Power Source

Alisa Vitti
With WomanCode, holistic health coach Alisa Vitti shows women how to maintain health and vitality with a food-based program to rebalance their hormones. Alisa Vitti found herself suffering through the symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and was able to heal herself through food and lifestyle changes. Relieved and reborn, she made it her mission to empower other women to be able to do the same. Whether you are suffering from irregular periods, fertility issues, depression, or lack of sex drive, Alisa Vitti says that meds and anti-depressants aren’t the only solutions. Groundbreaking and informative, WomanCode educates women about hormone health in a way that’s relevant and easy to understand. And the five-step protocol can markedly improve health and overall quality of life. Bestselling author and women’s health expert Christiane Northrup, who has called WomanCode the "Our Bodies, Ourselves" of this generation, provides an insightful foreword.
Book of Lies book cover

Book of Lies

2016

Teri Terry
They are trapped, frozen. Waiting. Straining against the wood that holds them. The unwary catch a glimpse now and then - feel their desperate hunger, see a glint of red eyes - and scurry out of the shadows of the wood, back to the light. She's coming; it will be soon. They will run free on the moors again. The Hunt will return. And the ground will run with blood. An ancient curse placed on a family of witches foretells that twins will be born - one good, one evil; and one will destroy the other. But who can be trusted when no one is as they seem?
Hack Your Hormones book cover

Hack Your Hormones

2023

Davinia Taylor
THE INSTANT NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A wonderful book' Dr Chris van Tulleken, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ultra-Processed People Sleep better thanks to cherries Fix your brain fog with good fats Improve your metabolism with brazil nuts When we talk about hormones, we so often think of them as a 'women's issue'. But our hormones regulate everything from our sleep, to the way we eat, our stress response and our moods. In Hack Your Hormones Davinia Taylor, entrepreneur and biohacking pioneer, breaks down how best to optimise all of our hormones. Davinia gives symptom-led advice, backed up with the expertise of a doctor, on how lifestyle hacks and supplements can balance our cortisol, adrenaline, dopamine and more, even Vitamin D (yep, it's a hormone). And the answers might be as close as your kitchen cupboards. This groundbreaking new book is full of simple, accessible hacks that will make you feel not just better, but amazing. 'Let's get our hormones into the optimum place they can be. Because if I can feel better, then anyone can. This is proper, real empowerment, not tampon ad empowerment! This is your body, nobody can look after it like you can.' Davinia
Memphis book cover

Memphis

2022

Tara M. Stringfellow
A spellbinding debut novel tracing three generations of a Southern Black family and one daughter’s discovery that she has the power to change her family’s legacy. Summer 1995: Ten-year-old Joan, her mother, and her younger sister flee her father’s explosive temper and seek refuge at her mother’s ancestral home in Memphis. This is not the first time violence has altered the course of the family’s trajectory. Half a century earlier, Joan’s grandfather built this majestic house in the historic Black neighborhood of Douglass—only to be lynched days after becoming the first Black detective in the city. Joan tries to settle into her new life, but family secrets cast a longer shadow than any of them expected. As she grows up, Joan finds relief in her artwork, painting portraits of the community in Memphis. One of her subjects is their enigmatic neighbor Miss Dawn, who claims to know something about curses, and whose stories about the past help Joan see how her passion, imagination, and relentless hope are, in fact, the continuation of a long matrilineal tradition. Joan begins to understand that her mother, her mother’s mother, and the mothers before them persevered, made impossible choices, and put their dreams on hold so that her life would not have to be defined by loss and anger—that the sole instrument she needs for healing is her paintbrush. Unfolding over seventy years through a chorus of unforgettable voices that move back and forth in time, Memphis paints an indelible portrait of inheritance, celebrating the full complexity of what we pass down, in a family and as a country: brutality and justice, faith and forgiveness, sacrifice and love.
A Dark and Drowning Tide book cover

A Dark and Drowning Tide

2024

Allison Saft
A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor's murder in this lush and enthralling sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic. Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness to secure his reign of the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come true: to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she’s only ever read about. The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader—Lorelei’s beloved mentor—is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are her five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again—and a coup begins in earnest. But there are other dangers lurking in the dark: forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons waiting beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood. As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth—and resist their growing feelings for one another—they discover that their professor had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, or if this kingdom is worth saving at all.
The Fifth Agreement book cover

The Fifth Agreement

A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery

Miguel Ruiz
Since 1997, The Four Agreements has transformed the lives of millions of people around the world with a simple but profound message. Now bestselling author don Miguel Ruiz and his son, don Jose Ruiz, collaborate with this powerful sequel The Fifth Agreement. The Four Agreements provides the foundation for breaking thousands of agreements that create needless suffering and with The Fifth Agreement you recover all the power of your authenticity, which is who you really are when you are born.
The Desolations of Devil's Acre book cover

The Desolations of Devil's Acre

2021

Ransom Riggs
The fate of peculiardom hangs in the balance in this epic conclusion to the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series. The last thing Jacob Portman saw before the world went dark was a terrible, familiar face. Suddenly, he and Noor are back in the place where everything began - his grandfather's house. Jacob doesn't know how they escaped from V's loop to find themselves in Florida. But he does know one thing for certain: Caul has returned. After a narrow getaway from a blood-thirsty hollow, Jacob and Noor reunite with Miss Peregrine and the peculiar children in Devil's Acre. The Acre is being plagued by desolations - weather fronts of ash and blood and bone - a terrible portent of Caul's amassing army. Risen from the Library of Souls and more powerful than ever, Caul and his apocalyptic agenda seem unstoppable. Only one hope remains - deliver Noor to the meeting place of the seven prophesied ones. If they can decipher its secret location.
The Conference of the Birds book cover

The Conference of the Birds

2020

Ransom Riggs
A FRAGILE PEACE. AN APOCRYPHAL WARNING. CHAOS WAITING IN THE HEART OF THE STORM. With his dying words, H—Jacob Portman’s final connection to his grandfather Abe’s secret life—entrusts Jacob with a mission: Deliver newly con­tacted peculiar Noor Pradesh to an operative known only as V. Noor is being hunted. She is the subject of an ancient prophecy, one that foretells a looming apocalypse. Save Noor—Save the future of all peculiardom. With only a few bewildering clues to follow, Jacob must figure out how to find V, the most enigmatic, and most powerful, of Abe’s former associates. But V is in hiding and she never, ever, wants to be found. With enemies behind him and the unknown ahead, Jacob Portman’s story continues as he takes a brave leap forward into The Conference of the Birds.
Werde wieder Mensch book cover

Werde wieder Mensch

Die RĂźckkehr des Homo sapiens

Dr. Leo Pruimboom, Daniel Reheis
Wie gesund lebt Homo sapiens heute? Im Laufe der Evolution hat es immer wieder größere Veränderungen in der Lebensweise von uns Menschen gegeben. Gerade in der neueren Zeit nicht unbedingt in eine Richtung, die uns auch guttut. Zwischen unzähligen Diäten und modernen Lifestyletrends ist es schwer, den Überblick zu behalten, was tatsächlich gesundheitsförderlich ist. In diesem Buch wird die Kraft artgerechter Ernährung aufgezeigt und der Leser wird auf eine faszinierende Art und Weise in die Welt der klinischen Psycho-Neuro-Immunologie eingeführt. Dabei geht es um viel mehr als um gesunde Ernä Es geht darum, zu erkennen, wie die einzelnen Komponenten unseres Alltags und deren Kombination auf unseren Körper wirken. Die Autoren gehen daher auch ausführlich auf die Wirkmechanismen verschiedener Krankheiten, die Bedeutung von Stoffwechselprozessen, Hormonen und körperlichen Reaktionen ein. Der Schlüssel zu einem artgerechten Leben Artgerecht bedeutet dem Menschen entsprechend. Daher verfolgt die artgerechte Ernährung den Ansatz, unsere Nahrung wieder dem Menschsein anzupassen. Dass Menschen etwas essen, heißt noch nicht, dass es auch Menschenessen ist. Am Ende jedes Kapitels sind entsprechende Nahrungsmittel und passende Rezepte zusammengestellt, die gezielt auf die einzelnen Wirkmechanismen abgestimmt sind. Über 70 Rezepte werden hier präsentiert – von einer fruchtigen Orangen-Safran-Suppe über gebratenen Radicchio-Salat mit Wassermelone und Pekannüssen, Fischpäckchen mit Zitronengras-Lauch-Gemüse bis hin zu einem Kardamom-Kokos-Pudding. Entstanden ist hier eine faszinierende Vielfalt an Aromen, die der Leser sich überraschend einfach selbst zubereiten kann. Dieses Buch ist für alle Menschen geschrieben, die daran interessiert sind, ihr Wohlbefinden durch eigene Interventionen zu erhalten und einen gesunden, artgerechten Lebensstil zu implementieren.
The Mortal Engines Quartet book cover

The Mortal Engines Quartet

2018

Philip Reeve
Murderous cities that move—and hunt! Tom and Hester must confront terrifying weapons in a vast, ongoing battle that threatens to destroy their world. Books 1 - 4; Mortal Engines, Predator's Gold, Internal Devices & A Darkling Plain.
A Darkling Plain book cover

A Darkling Plain

2006

Philip Reeve
The fourth and final book in Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines Quartet. The great Traction City of London now lies in ruins. Once, not so long ago, it hunted other cities across the vast wastes of a devastated land. Now it is a poisonous, lifeless wreck - until Tom Natsworthy and his daughter, Wren, uncover the secret hidden in its dark heart. It's a secret that could bring an end to the war once and for all. But as Tom and Wren risk their lives, time is running out. Far away, a dangerous child with a deadly secret of his own is making a journey that may lead to the destruction of the entire human race.
Infernal Devices book cover

Infernal Devices

2005

Philip Reeve
The third thrilling book in the stunning Predator Cities series! The mighty engines of Anchorage have been rusted and dead for years. The derelict city no longer roams the Ice Wastes, but has settled on the edge of the land that was once America. Tom Natsworthy and Hester Shaw are happy in the safety of a static settlement, but their daughter, Wren, is desperate for adventure. When a dangerously charming submarine pirate offers her a chance to escape, Wren doesn't think twice about leaving her home and her parents behind. But the pirate wants something in return - Wren must steal the mysterious Tin Book. To do so will ignite a conflict that could tear the whole world apart.
Predator's Gold book cover

Predator's Gold

2003

Philip Reeve
In this breathtaking sequel to his award-winning Mortal Engines, Reeve plunges readers into a ruthless and terrifyingly believable world where cities eat each other, betrayal is as common as ice, and loyalty offers the only chance for survival.
Mortal Engines book cover

Mortal Engines

2001

Philip Reeve
"It was a dark, blustery afternoon in spring, and the city of London was chasing a small mining town across the dried-out bed of the old North Sea." The great traction city London has been skulking in the hills to avoid the bigger, faster, hungrier cities loose in the Great Hunting Ground. But now, the sinister plans of Lord Mayor Mangus Crome can finally unfold. Thaddeus Valentine, London's Head Historian and adored famous archaeologist, and his lovely daughter, Katherine, are down in The Gut when the young assassin with the black scarf strikes toward his heart, saved by the quick intervention of Tom, a lowly third-class apprentice. Racing after the fleeing girl, Tom suddenly glimpses her hideous face: scarred from forehead to jaw, nose a smashed stump, a single eye glaring back at him. "Look at what your Valentine did to me!" she screams. "Ask him! Ask him what he did to Hester Shaw!" And with that she jumps down the waste chute to her death. Minutes later Tom finds himself tumbling down the same chute and stranded in the Out-Country, a sea of mud scored by the huge caterpillar tracks of cities like the one now steaming off over the horizon. In a stunning literary debut, Philip Reeve has created a painful dangerous unforgettable adventure story of surprises, set in a dark and utterly original world fueled by Municipal Darwinism—and betrayal.
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street book cover

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street

2015

Natasha Pulley
1883. Thaniel Steepleton returns home to his tiny London apartment to find a gold pocket watch on his pillow. Six months later, the mysterious timepiece saves his life, drawing him away from a blast that destroys Scotland Yard. At last, he goes in search of its maker, Keita Mori, a kind, lonely immigrant from Japan. Although Mori seems harmless, a chain of unexplainable events soon suggests he must be hiding something. When Grace Carrow, an Oxford physicist, unwittingly interferes, Thaniel is torn between opposing loyalties. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is a sweeping, atmospheric narrative that takes the reader on an unexpected journey through Victorian London, Japan as its civil war crumbles long-standing traditions, and beyond. Blending historical events with dazzling flights of fancy, it opens doors to a strange and magical past.
By Any Other Name book cover

By Any Other Name

2024

Jodi Picoult
From the New York Times bestselling co\-author of Mad Honey comes an “inspiring” (Elle) novel about two women, centuries apart—one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays—who are both forced to hide behind another name. Young playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. But seeing it performed is unlikely, in a theater world where the playing field isn’t level for women. As Melina wonders if she dares risk failure again, her best friend takes the decision out of her hands and submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym. In 1581, young Emilia Bassano is a ward of English aristocrats. Her lessons on languages, history, and writing have endowed her with a sharp wit and a gift for storytelling, but like most women of her day, she is allowed no voice of her own. Forced to become a mistress to the Lord Chamberlain, who oversees all theatre productions in England, Emilia sees firsthand how the words of playwrights can move an audience. She begins to form a plan to secretly bring a play of her own to the stage—by paying an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work. Told in intertwining timelines, By Any Other Name, a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire centers two women who are determined to create something beautiful despite the prejudices they face. Should a writer do whatever it takes to see her story live on . . . no matter the cost? This remarkable novel, rooted in primary historical sources, ensures the name Emilia Bassano will no longer be forgotten.
Miss Mary's Book of Dreams book cover

Miss Mary's Book of Dreams

2017

Sophie Nicholls
Dreams, books and vintage fashion - the second book in the bestselling ebook series by Sophie Nicholls, author of The Dress. In historic York, Ella seems to have the perfect life. She's a published author, her bookshop is thriving, she's married to the man of her dreams and they've started a family of their own. But Ella is struggling. Motherhood isn't quite everything she imagined it to be, and she's worried that there may be cracks in her marriage. On the other side of the Atlantic, despite endless blue skies and a stream of eager customers in her vintage dress shop, Ella's mother Fabia finds that life in San Diego is not enough for her. She misses York, and can sense that Ella needs her, so she flies home. And this is when they meet Bryony. With a complicated life and secrets of her own, Bryony may have some of the answers they're looking for. Can Ella and Fabia help her find her way, whilst also working out how to find their own happily ever after? 'A delightful, uplifting novel that, while unashamedly romantic and feel-good, nevertheless ponders some deeper questions.' Yorkshire Post on The Dress.
Sleepless book cover

Sleepless

2014

Lou Morgan
Young, rich and good-looking, Izzy and her friends lead seemingly perfect lives. But exams are looming, and at a school like Clerkenwell, failure is not an option. Luckily, Tigs has a solution. A small pill that will make revision a breeze and help them get the results they need. Desperate to succeed, the group begin taking the study drug. It doesn’t take long before they realize there are far worse things than failing a few exams.
The Irish Paradox book cover

The Irish Paradox

How and Why We Are Such a Contradictory People

Sean Moncrieff
We ve been clever and stupid, principled and corrupt. We can be kind and cruel, guilty of dopey optimism and chronic fatalism. We re friendly, but near impossible to get to know. We re proud to be Irish but often crippled with self-loathing. We think we re great, but not really. We find ourselves fascinating. Of course we do. We re a paradox. There s something about Irish people, about the way their minds work. But what makes them think the way they do? In his search for the answer to this question and the key to the Irish psyche, Sean Moncrieff roams from the pub to the online world, the shop to the pulpit. Packed with observations, revelations and intriguing detours into the murkier recesses of Irish history and culture, The Irish Paradox is a roadmap of the contradictory, mutating nature of Irishness.
The Electrical Venus book cover

The Electrical Venus

2018

Julie Mayhew
Can this shocking new feeling be love, or is it electrickery? In a lowly side-show fair in eighteenth-century England, teenager Mim is struggling to find her worth as an act. Not white, but not black enough to be truly exotic, her pet parrot who speaks four languages is a bigger draw than her. But Alex, the one-armed boxer boy, sees her differently. And she, too, feels newly interested in him. But then Dr Fox arrives with his scientific kit for producing 'electrickery' - feats of electrical magic these bawdy audiences have never seen before. To complete his act, Fox chooses Mim to play the 'Electrical Venus'. Her popularity - and the electric-shocking kisses she can provide for a penny - mean takings are up, slop is off the menu and this spark between her and Fox must surely be love. But is this starring role her true worth, or is love worth more than a penny for an electrifying kiss? An intoxicating and atmospheric coming of age story set in the filth and thrill of a travelling show during the height of the Georgian Enlightenment.
Wayward book cover

Wayward

2022

Hannah Mathewson
Welcome to the Witherward, and to a London that is not quite like our own… The grandchildren of the High Sorcerer are nothing but trouble. Cassia is determined to be inducted into the Society of Young Gifted Sorcerers. But the harder she trains, the more unreliable her spells become. But when Cassia accidentally awakens an archaic power, the fate of the entire city falls into her hands. Ollivan, her disgraced older brother, is scheming to seize the leadership of the society and revoke his banishment. But if he is to succeed, he must unravel a vengeful plot he set in motion the night he was exiled. The problem? His sister has triggered the spell. The city is divided between six rulers of six warring, magical factions. Each wields unique powers. Each is uniquely dangerous. The tenuous peace between them all is barely maintained by fragile accords. Now Cassia’s only chance to save that peace and put an end to the destruction she’s unleashed is to join forces with her villainous estranged brother.
Shadow of the Hangman book cover

Shadow of the Hangman

2015

Edward Marston
In this first instalment of the Bow Street Rivals series a riot breaks out in Dartmoor prison, enabling some American inmates to escape. The twin detectives Peter and Paul Skillen catch wind of a projected assassination but the target is unknown. Trouble ensues when a woman from the Home Office vanishes; a mysterious lady turns up at the archery shooting gallery; and Paul's gambling addiction worsens . . .
Son of a Witch book cover

Son of a Witch

2005

Gregory Maguire
Liir hid in the shadows of the castle after Dorothy did in the Witch. Left for dead in a gully, the teen is shattered in spirit and body. But silent novice Candle tends him at the Cloister of Saint Glinda, and wills him back to life with her music. What dark force left Liir in this condition? Is he really Elphaba's son? He has her broom and her cape - but what of her powers? Can he find his supposed half-sister, Nor, last seen in the forbidding prison Southstairs? Can he fulfill the last wishes of a dying princess? In an Oz under new and dangerous management, can Liir keep his head down long enough to grow up?
A Curious History of Sex book cover

A Curious History of Sex

2020

Kate Lister
This is not a comprehensive study of every sexual quirk, kink and ritual across all cultures throughout time, as that would entail writing an encyclopaedia. Rather, this is a drop in the ocean, a paddle in the shallow end of sex history, but I hope you will get pleasantly wet nonetheless. The act of sex has not changed since people first worked out what went where, but the ways in which society dictates how sex is culturally understood and performed have varied significantly through the ages. Humans are the only creatures that stigmatise particular sexual practices, and sex remains a deeply divisive issue around the world. Attitudes will change and grow – hopefully for the better – but sex will never be free of stigma or shame unless we acknowledge where it has come from.
The Body Keeps the Score book cover

The Body Keeps the Score

Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

Bessel van der Kolk
A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.
Tiffany Aching's Guide to Being A Witch book cover

Tiffany Aching's Guide to Being A Witch

2023

Gabrielle Kent, Rhianna Pratchett
"They say you don't find witchcraft, it finds you . . ." An illustrated and practical guide to being a witch in Discworld, covering everything you've ever wanted to know from telling the bees to magical cheese, from dealing with elves to making deals with demons, from tending flocks to fending off forces from other worlds. This beautiful and practical guide has been compiled by Tiffany Aching herself, including snippets of remembered wisdom from Granny Aching alongside notes from Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Miss Tick, and Rob Anybody who offer their own unique perspectives on all things witchcraft. Whether you're a herbologist or a headologist, this book will inspire and empower new witches and seasoned practitioners alike. With colourful illustrations from Paul Kidby throughout, this brilliant in-world guide is the perfect addition to any Discworld collection.
I Was Hitler's Chauffeur book cover

I Was Hitler's Chauffeur

The Memoir of Erich Kempka

Erich Kempka
Erich Kempka served as Hitler's personal driver from 1934 through to the Fuhrer's dramatic suicide in 1945. His candid memoirs offer a unique eyewitness account of events leading up to and during the war, culminating in those dark final days in the Fuhrer's headquarters, deep under the shattered city of Berlin. He begins by describing his duties as a member of Hitler's personal staff in the years preceding the war, driving the Fuhrer throughout Germany and abroad, and accompanying him to rallies. The crux of his memoirs however covers his life with Hitler in the Berlin Fuhrerbunker. During this time he was responsible for a transport fleet of cars, and often drove the likes of Speer or Kesselring on inspection tours to the hot spots on the front; and in March 1945, he accompanied the Fuhrer to his final front-inspection tour. Kempka was also present when news came through of Goring and Himmler's efforts to seize power and negotiate a truce with the Western Allies. Crucially, Kempka also witnessed Hitler's marriage to Eva Braun, and his last dinner and personal farewell to all those present, before he and his wife committed suicide. Hitler's final order to Kempka was that he have ready enough petrol to burn him and his wife. Under constant Soviet artillery fire, Kempke, Linge and others poured petrol over the bodies and burnt them. The account concludes with Kempka's hazardous escape out of a burning Berlin more than 800 km through enemy-occupied Germany, home to find his wife at BE. There he was arrested by American C.fI.C. personnel and interrogated before being sent to serve as a witness at Nuremburg.
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I Heart Forever

2017

Lindsey Kelk
‘Brilliantly funny’ Paige Toon ‘I loved it!’ Louise Pentland A wedding in Manhattan…and someone’s keeping a secret. The day her husband Alex picks up a backpack and goes travelling, Angela Clark swears she’ll stay out of trouble. But from trying to keep a secret from her best friend to accidentally flirting with her brand new boss at the fashion magazine where she works, nothing goes according to plan. Then suddenly there’s another big secret Angela’s got to keep – and the man she loves is still thousands of miles away. As her BFF’s wedding looms, Angela is going to need her friends by her side. Her old life is set to change forever.
The Bell Witches book cover

The Bell Witches

2024

Lindsey Kelk
YOU’LL WANT TO BE ONE. UNTIL YOU KNOW THEIR SECRETS. After Emily’s father tragically dies, she is forced to live with the only family she has left, an aunt and grandmother in the heart of Savannah, Georgia in a house as beautiful as it is mysterious. But all is not what it seems with the Bell family; they’re hiding a magical secret. When Emily meets the alluring Wyn, she forms a connection that feels like it was always meant to be. As the spark between them grows more powerful, her life takes an exhilarating and terrifying turn; but every step closer to him, takes her a step further away from her family. Emily will find out that blood is always thicker than water... THERE’S NO BOND GREATER THAN MAGIC
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You Had Me at Halloumi

2022

Ginger Jones
When it comes to love, its feta late than never . . . Freya Butterly has always dreamed of being a Head Chef but despite running every service at the Mediterranean restaurant, she still doesn't get the recognition she deserves. Craving adventure and a real taste of the Mediterranean, Freya takes matters into her own hands, ditching both her job and unsupportive boyfriend, she packs her bags for sunny Cyprus in pursuit of the prestigious Golden Spoon culinary award. As one of the seven competitors, Freya is determined to clinch the trophy and rediscover her passion for food, but what she doesn't expect to discover is Xanthos. As gorgeous as he is charming - he's quite the dish. Freya is instantly attracted to him, but this trip was about Cypriot cuisine, not cypriot sausage (ahem, romance) and she knows she must not let Xanthos distract her from the competition. But if she walks away, will Freya spend the rest of her life wondering What If?
The Age of Enchantment book cover

The Age of Enchantment

2024

Anna James
First in a brand-new fantasy series from acclaimed author Anna James, filled with seasonal magic and exciting adventure In Whetherwhy, everyone has magic inside them – grown from the changing seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. But a rare few are people born with magic in their bones, who can wield all four seasons of magic. When Juniper discovers she is an Enchanter, she must leave behind everything she knows to begin studying at the Thistledown Academy of Enchantment. Unwilling to be left behind, her twin brother, Rafferty, decides to follow her to the capital city of Stormgrove and takes up an apprenticeship at a nearby bookbinder. As Juniper makes new friends and learns how to wield enchantment, Rafferty becomes involved with a mysterious secret society that meet after dark. Monsters are creeping out of the shadows and dangers lurk in unexpected places. Amid night markets and magic lessons, they both realise there is more to enchantment – and life in Whetherwhy – than they could ever have imagined.
The Witching Hour book cover

The Witching Hour

Ghostly Tales for the Darkest Nights

Bridget Collins, Catriona Ward, Susan Stokes-Chapman, Jess Kidd, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Michelle Paver, Stacey Halls, Imogen Hermes Gower, Elizabeth Macneal, Stuart Turton, Natasha Pulley, Andrew Michael Hurley, Laura Shepherd-Robinson
FROM THE CREATORS OF THE HAUNTING SEASON AND THE WINTER SPIRITS COMES A BRAND NEW COLLECTION OF GHOSTLY TALES Featuring new and original stories Michelle Paver Stacey Halls Bridget Collins Imogen Hermes Gowar Kiran Millwood Hargrave Andrew Michael Hurley Jess Kidd Natasha Pulley Elizabeth Macneal Susan Stokes-Chapman Laura Shepherd-Robinson Stuart Turton Catriona Ward \\\\\\\\\_ There is something peculiar about the hour after midnight. It is the time when darkness reigns. And strange things roam the earth. In this dazzling collection of new and original haunted tales, thirteen bestselling and much-loved authors bring this hour to vivid, spine-tingling life. So curl up, light a candle, and wait for the clocks to strike . . .
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Plant Magick

2022

Jessica Hundley
Celebrating the magick of the natural realm, Volume IV of The Library of Esoterica, delves into the symbolism, ceremony, and our ritual relationships with the botanical world. A visual journey through our interdependent evolution with nature, Plant Magick celebrates botanicals as creative muse – from ancient Greek sculptures to Renaissance paintings to visionary art inspired by psychoactive plants, cacti, and mushrooms. Our myths, beliefs, and shared stories are continually reflected in nature; purity represented by the white lily or spiritual awakening by the bloom of the lotus. Our joys and laments are mirrored in the cycle of the seasons, in the seed birthing sprout, or in the dead leaf falling softly from winter branches. Plants, trees, and flowers as signifiers of transition are also deeply embedded within rites of passage rituals across global cultures. Rose petals strewn along the wedding aisle mark the evolution into womanhood and marriage. A wreath of lilies stands sentinel over an open grave. A lover’s bouquet awaits on the doorstep. The wooden May Day pole is circled by girls wearing crowns of woven daisies, celebrating the coming of spring. Birth, unions, and burials – cycles of joyful celebration and deep grieving, all are marked symbolically with herbs, flowers or branches of a tree – the integration of nature into ceremony our method of signifying catharsis. Since time immemorial, plants have also served as potent symbols within the religions of the world; Buddha attaining enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, Eve plucking the Apple of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. From root to vibrant blossom, Plant Magick explores the fertile, interconnected history between plants and people, the multitude of ways in which we embrace plants in spiritual ceremony, as healing medicine, as creative muse and as gateways into deeper explorations of consciousness.
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The Coroner's Daughter

2015

Andrew Hughes
Dublin, 1816. A young nursemaid conceals a pregnancy and then murders her newborn in the home of the Neshams, a prominent family in a radical Christian sect known as the Brethren. Rumors swirl about the identity of the child’s father, but before an inquest can be held, the maid is found dead after an apparent suicide. When Abigail Lawless, the eighteen-year-old daughter of the city coroner, by chance discovers a message from the maid’s seducer, she sets out to discover the truth. An only child, Abigail has been raised amid the books and instruments of her father’s grim profession, and he in turn indulges her curious and critical mind. Now she must push against the restrictions society places on a girl her age to pursue an increasingly dangerous investigation. Abigail’s searches begin to uncover the well-guarded secrets of two factions—the Christian Brethren and a burgeoning rationalist community—drawing the attention of a sinister figure who emerges in fleeting glimpses and second-hand reports: the man with the lazy eye. Determined, resourceful, and intuitive, Abigail Lawless emerges as a young lady sleuth operating at the dawn of forensic science.
Period Power book cover

Period Power

Harness Your Hormones and Get Your Cycle Working For You

Maisie Hill
Period Power is a profound but practical blueprint for aligning daily life with the menstrual cycle, to give women a no-nonsense explanation of what the hell happens to their hormones every month and how they can use each phase to its full advantage. Ninety per cent of women experience symptoms of PMS, a syndrome which features a wide range of signs and symptoms and yet there’s an enduring lack of understanding about what it actually is, and a disappointingly meager range of treatment options. So many of us have a Jekyll and Hyde experience of our lives; we feel on top of the world, capable, confident and sexy for part of each month, then find ourselves in a state of physical and emotional discomfort and fatigue, wanting nothing more than to collapse on the sofa in front of Netflix. But what if instead of just trying to plan for our dark days, women were equipped with ways to improve them? What if our desire to improve ourselves could be combined with our need to know just what our womb and ovaries are getting up to every month? Not to mention how to take advantage of the natural superpowers that sit in each phase of our cycle, so that we can plan our month to perform at our best. Maisie Hill is uniquely placed, as an acupuncturist, women’s health practitioner and doula, to explain just how we can achieve this, as well as focusing on particular milestones that require an altered approach, such as coming off hormonal birth control, infertility, pregnancy, motherhood and the perimenopausal years. Using what Hill calls the cycle strategy—a woman’s secret weapon when it comes to improving her relationships, career and health—she will apply the principles of Eastern and Western medicine to give women all they need to make sense of their cycles, as well as accessible and practical suggestions through which readers can improve their physical symptoms, and stop berating themselves because of the way that they evolve through each menstrual month.
The Lady of the Ravens book cover

The Lady of the Ravens

2020

Joanna Hickson
My baptismal name may be Giovanna but here in my mother’s adopted country I have become plain Joan; I am not pink-cheeked and golden-haired like the beauties they admire. I have olive skin and dark features – black brows over ebony eyes and hair the colour of a raven’s wing… When Joan Vaux is sent to live in the shadow of the Tower of London, she must learn to navigate the treacherous waters of this new England under the Tudors. Like the ravens, Joan must use her eyes and her senses, if Henry and his new dynasty are to prosper and thrive.
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Monsters in the Mirror

2019

A J Hartley
A gripping new fantasy adventure from bestselling & Carnegie nominated author, A. J. Hartley, appealing to lovers of Artemis Fowl and Mortal Engines. ‘Fantastic, surprising fun!’ R. L. Stine - author of Goosebumps. Darwen Arkwright’s world is turned upside down when he is forced to move from a small English town to Atlanta in the United States of America. Feeling out of place and struggling to fit in at school, Darwen seeks solace in a mysterious shop full of mirrors. It’s there that he discovers the ability to step through mirrors into different worlds – worlds beyond his wildest imagination. Darwen befriends creatures including Moth, a tiny being with mechanical wings, but he soon learns that there is a terrible darkness threatening this new world . . . and only he can save it. The problem with doors is that they open both ways. There are monsters inside, and some of them are trying to get out . . .
The Ten Thousand Doors of January book cover

The Ten Thousand Doors of January

2019

Alix E. Harrow
In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place. Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.
Weyward book cover

Weyward

2023

Emilia Hart
I am a Weyward, and wild inside. 2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century. 1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom. 1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom. Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.
The Household book cover

The Household

2024

Stacey Halls
From the Sunday Times bestseller and winner of the Women's Prize Futures Award, the captivating, highly anticipated new novel, inspired by real historical figures and events. In a quiet house in the countryside outside London, the finishing touches are being made to welcome a group of young women. The house and its location are top secret, its residents unknown to one another, but the girls have one thing in they are fallen. Offering refuge for prostitutes, petty thieves and the destitute, Urania Cottage is a second chance at life - but how badly do they want it? Meanwhile, a few miles away in a Piccadilly mansion, millionairess Angela Burdett-Coutts, one of the benefactors of Urania Cottage, makes a discovery that leaves her her stalker of 10 years has been released from prison . . . As the women's worlds collide in ways they could never have expected, they will discover that freedom always comes at a price . . . The Household is the new novel from the award-winning, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Familiars, The Foundling and Mrs England. Set against Charles Dickens' home for fallen women and inspired by real figures from history, it is Stacey Halls' most ambitious and compelling novel yet.
The Foundling book cover

The Foundling

2020

Stacey Halls
The captivating Sunday Times bestseller from the author of The Familiars Two women, bound by a child, a nd a secret that will change everything . . . London, 1754. Six years after leaving her illegitimate daughter Clara at London's Foundling Hospital, Bess Bright returns to reclaim the child she has never known. Dreading the worst, that Clara has died in care, Bess is astonished to be told she has already claimed her. Her life is turned upside down as she tries to find out who has taken her little girl - and why. Less than a mile from Bess' lodgings in the city, in a quiet, gloomy townhouse on the edge of London, a young widow has not left the house in a decade. When her close friend - an ambitious young doctor at the Foundling Hospital - persuades her to hire a nursemaid for her daughter, she is hesitant to welcome someone new into her home and her life. But her past is threatening to catch up with her and tear her carefully constructed world apart. From the bestselling author of The Familiars comes this captivating story of mothers and daughters, class and power, and love against the greatest of odds . . . 'The new Hilary Mantel' COSMOPOLITAN 'Stacey Halls is a writer of great originality, great imagination and great sense of place. Atmospheric, intelligent, accessible, every novel is worth reading, then reading again and again' KATE MOSSE Another gripping, immersive, intelligent work of historical fiction from the bestselling author of The Familiars ' KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE, author of THE MERCIES A moving, atmospheric chiller ' INDEPENDENT ' A breathtaking achievement' SUNDAY EXPRESS ' Enjoyable and atmospheric ' THE TIMES ' Historical drama at its very best ' MY WEEKLY \\ THE HOUSEHOLD, the brand new novel from Stacey Halls, is available to pre-order now\\ \Sunday Times bestseller February and September 2020\ \Winner of Women's Prize for Fiction x Good Housekeeping Futures award - Good Housekeeping 14 Oct 2022\
The Executioner of St Paul's book cover

The Executioner of St Paul's

2017

Susanna Gregory
The plague raging through London in 1665 has emptied the city. The only people left are those too poor to flee, or those who selflessly struggle to control the contagion and safeguard the capital's future. Amongst them, though, are those prepared to risk their health for money - those who sell dubious 'cures' and hawk food at wildly inflated prices. Also amongst them are those who hold in their hands the future of the city's most iconic building - St Paul's Cathedral. The handsome edifice is crumbling from decades of neglect and indecision, giving the current custodians a stark choice - repair or demolish. Both sides have fanatical adherents who have been fighting each other since the Civil Wars. Large sums of money have disappeared, major players have mysteriously vanished, and then a unidentified skeleton is discovered in another man's grave. A reluctant Chaloner returns to London to investigate, only to discover that someone is determined to thwart him by any means - by bullet, poison or bludgeon - and he fears he has very little time to identify the culprits before he becomes yet another victim in the battle for the Cathedral's future.
Rooted in Evil book cover

Rooted in Evil

2017

Ann Granger
Rooted in Evil by Ann Granger is set in the Cotswold village of Weston Saint Ambrose and features Inspector Jess Campbell and Superintendent Ian Carter in their fifth murder mystery. When the body of a man, with his brains blown out, is found in a Cotswold wood it looks like suicide. But looks can be deceptive and it doesn't take long for the police to identify that there's more to the case than meets the eye. People's stories don't add up and when Superintendent Ian Carter and Inspector Jess Campbell start probing it becomes clear that the dead man had ruffled more than a few feathers in this close-knit community. His stepsister had been bailing him out of his financial troubles - much against her husband's wishes - but, with his money worries still mounting, the victim had become a desperate man... As Jess and Ian dig deeper and deeper into the case, a cover-up is exposed and bitter resentment rises to the surface to reveal a killer.
An Unfinished Murder book cover

An Unfinished Murder

2018

Ann Granger
When children Josh and Dilys find a body in the woods on the outskirts of their small Cotswold village, they are too terrified to report it. But when, as adults, Josh discovers that his sister has kept a memento – the victim’s charm bracelet – he feels compelled to share the secret. When Josh unburdens himself to retired superintendent Alan Markby, his instincts tell him that this is linked to a missing person, a case long grown cold. The missing girl was last seen in the region currently under the jurisdiction of Superintendent Ian Carter and Inspector Jess Campbell . Joining forces, Markby and wife Meredith come out of retirement to hunt down the killer with Campbell and Carter, a murderer who by now must be safe in the knowledge that they’ve got away with it… An Unfinished Murder is the sixth instalment of The Campbell and Carter Mysteries, a charming and accomplished novel perfect for fans of M. C. Beaton and Midsomer Murders . 'Set in the familiar mode of traditional country crime novels, there is nothing old-fashioned about the characters… Granger is bang up to date' Oxford Times 'Characterisation, as ever with Granger, is sharp and astringent' The Times 'Entertaining and lifelike characters… a satisfying and unexpected twist' Mystery People
This Year, Maybe book cover

This Year, Maybe

2022

Jenny Gladwell
'A moving novel with unforgettable characters' - Closer 'A brilliant read' - Bella Sometimes you have to fall apart to become whole again... Kate is a successful interior designer with two wonderful kids. Kate is also a recent widow, a grieving daughter and worrying about how to pay the bills. Her life might look perfect from the outside, but making things look better than they are is just how Kate copes. Her mother, Jean, worries about her - but she has her own problems. A mystery from the past has come back to haunt her, and she decides now is the time to put the pieces together. When romance makes an appearance in both their lives, can mother and daughter lay the past to rest - and begin again? 'A great piece of storytelling - it swept me away' Sue Moorcroft on A Gift in December
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Rosemary and the Witches of Pendle Hill

2020

Samantha Giles
My Mum is a witch. I know this to be a fact because: a) She has a broomstick by the front door. b) She does spells sometimes. c) There are 4 other witches who live with us, that only me, Mum and Lois see. We don't really question their comings and goings. It was just normal to us until THINGS STARTED HAPPENING... Rosemary's cosy world is crumbling around her. Her Mum has finally landed an acting job and spends all her time with her slimy co-star; her Dad always seems to have a dark cloud hanging around him; her little sister, Louis, won't stop farting; and, oh yes, Phyllis, one of the four witches they share their house with, has disappeared through the wall. Meanwhile a group who call themselves the No-Laws are wreaking havoc across the country, and why does everyone keep whispering about the Pendle Witches of 1612? With the help of her windy sister and Adi, her maths-genius best friend, Rosemary sets off on a hazardous, magical journey. But can they solve the mystery of Phyllis' disappearance and stop the No-Laws before Rosemary's family is fractured for good? Rosemary and the Witches of Pendle Hill is the debut children's novel from Emmerdale actor Samantha Giles.
Never Forget You book cover

Never Forget You

2022

Jamila Gavin
A stunning and heartbreaking new novel from Jamila Gavin, the bestselling ana award-winning author of Coram Boy and The Wheels of Surya. England, 1937. Gwen, Noor, Dodo and Vera are four very different teenage girls, with something in common. Their parents are all abroad, leaving them in their English boarding school, where they soon form an intense friendship. The four friends think that’s no matter what, they will always have each other. Then the war comes. The girls find themselves flung to different corners if the war, from the flying planes in Air Training Auxiliary to going undercover in the French Resistance. Each journey brings danger and uncertainty as each of them wonders if they can make it through - and what will be left of the world. But at the same time, this is what shows them who they really are - and against this impossible backdrop, they find new connections and possibility of love. Will the four friends ever see each other again? And when the war is over, who will be left to tell the story? A heartbreaking and gripping story of hope, fear and unbreakable friendship.
One Enchanted Evening book cover

One Enchanted Evening

2023

Katie Fforde
Step into the world of Katie Fforde where love, romance and the happiest of happy endings are just around the corner. The new novel by the number one bestselling author and queen of feel-good romance. 'A joy of a read' Bella 'Another delightful read. Fforde never disapoints' Weekly 'With a mother-daughter relationship at its heart, this is the perfect Mother's Day read.' Take a Break 'A joy of a read from Katie Fforde.' That's Life 'With palpable chemistry between Meg and Justin and they will-they-won't-they at its core, this enjoyable read will appeal to die-hard romantics' Heat Magazine \\\\\\\\\\\\ Ever since she can remember, Meg has wanted to be a professional cook. But it's 1966, and in restaurant kitchens all over England it is still a man's world. Then she gets a call from her mother who is running a small hotel in Dorset. There's an important banqueting event coming up. She needs help and she needs it now! When Meg arrives, the hotel seems stuck in the past. But she loves a challenge, and sets to work. Then Justin, the son of the hotel owner, appears, determined to take over the running of the kitchen. Infuriated, Meg is determined to keep cooking - and soon sparks between them begin to fly. Will their differences be a recipe for disaster? After all, the course of true love never did run smooth... \\\\\\\\\\\\ Readers love One Enchanted Evening ... \\\\\* 'One Enchanted Evening is a literary hug that filled me with a comforting warmth and made me crave for more .' \\\\\* 'I loved this book so much that I devoured it in a day and a half. The characters were very well rounded and you instantly become invested in the storyline, the characters, and the beautiful old hotel.' \\\\\* 'A lovely relaxing read, perfect for a winters day, or for that matter as a holiday read!' \\\\\* 'One Enchanted evening is everything you need in a novel when the weather outside demands you snuggle under a blanket with a good book .' \\\\\* 'This is a nice, escapist tale.'
A Country Escape book cover

A Country Escape

2018

Katie Fforde
Fran has always wanted to be a farmer. And now it looks as if her childhood dream is about to come true. She has just moved in to a beautiful but very run-down farm in the Cotswolds, currently owned by an old aunt who has told Fran that if she manages to turn the place around in a year, the farm will be hers. But Fran knows nothing about farming. She might even be afraid of cows. She's going to need a lot of help from her best friend Issi, and also from her wealthy and very eligible neighbour - who might just have his own reasons for being so supportive. Is it the farm he is interested in? Or Fran herself? Warm, funny and wonderfully romantic, this is Katie Forde at her very best. A YEAR IN THE COUNTRY. A YEAR TO FALL IN LOVE. The BRAND NEW deliciously romantic novel from the Sunday Times Number One Bestselling Author of A Summer At Sea and A Secret Garden.
Bitter book cover

Bitter

2022

Akwaeke Emezi
Bitter is thrilled to have been chosen to attend Eucalyptus, a special school where she can focus on her painting surrounded by other creative teens. But outside this haven, the streets are filled with protests against the deep injustices that grip the town of Lucille. Bitter's instinct is to stay safe within the walls of Eucalyptus . . . but her friends aren't willing to settle for a world that the adults say is "just the way things are. Pulled between old friendships, her creative passion, and a new romance, Bitter isn't sure where she belongs - in the art studio or in the streets. And if she does find a way to help the revolution while being true to who she is, she must also ask: at what cost?
Goddess with a Thousand Faces book cover

Goddess with a Thousand Faces

A one-of-a-kind exploration of goddesses from our ancient past

Jasmine Elmer
Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop book cover

Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop

2022

Kiley Dunbar
'Tis the season for finding love… and the perfect book With just two weeks until Christmas, everything in Clove Lore should be perfect. But the latest holidaymaker to the Borrow a Bookshop is feeling far from festive… Icelandic ex-bookseller Magnús Sturluson might be surrounded by love stories in the Bookshop, but he’s nursing a sadness that not even fiction can fix. When Alexandra Robinson finds herself stranded in Clove Lore, she finds a safe place to hide from heartbreak. After all, all that’s waiting for her at home is a cheater boyfriend and the memories of her parents. As Alex finds herself embraced by the quirky village community, she finds her tough exterior thawing – and as she grows closer to Magnús, she finds an equally soft heart under his gruff shell. It seems that Clove Lore is working its magic once again – until a great flood on Christmas Eve brings devastation in its wake. It’s up to Magnús and Alex to batten down the hatches and help bring the village back together again, while also introducing the locals to the Icelandic tradition of the jólabókaflóð – Yule book flood – where families and friends gather on Christmas Eve to exchange books and read together. But can Magnús and Alex truly rescue the ruins of the village, and salvage their Christmas spirit? Or is there another complication lurking even closer than they thought? A totally uplifting read that will lighten the winter gloom, for fans of Jenny Colgan and Trisha Ashley. Booklovers will adore this seasonal treat!
The Night We Lost Him book cover

The Night We Lost Him

2024

Laura Dave
Nora Noone’s father, Liam, was many things to many people. To the public he was a self\-made hotel magnate, whose luxury boutique hotels were among the most coveted destinations in the world. To his three ex\-wives, he was a loving yet distant family man who managed to keep his finances—and his families—separate. But to Nora, her father was always a mystery—especially after his suspicious death at his cliffside home. Though the authorities rule Liam's death accidental, Nora and her estranged brother, Sam, believe otherwise. As they form an uneasy alliance to unpack the mystery, they start putting together the pieces of their father’s past and uncover a family secret that changes everything. With Laura Dave’s “signature blend of pulse\-pounding suspense” (PEOPLE) and “trademark emotional heft” (The New York Post), The Night We Lost Him is a “propulsive” (Oprah Daily) must\-read, with a heartbreaking final twist you’ll never see coming.
4 Blutgruppen - 4 Strategien fĂźr ein gesundes Leben book cover

4 Blutgruppen - 4 Strategien fĂźr ein gesundes Leben

2014

Peter J. D'Adamo
Weshalb Sie unbedingt Ihre Blutgruppe kennen sollten, das erfahren Sie in diesem Buch: Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo, einer der führenden Naturheilmediziner der USA, sagt Ihnen, wie Sie sich richtig ernähren und welche körperlichen Aktivitäten für Sie sinnvoll sind. So können Sie Ihre Vitalität und Gesundheit durch ein Ernährungs-, Fitness- und Lebenskonzept erhöhen, das genau auf Ihre Blutgruppe abgestimmt ist: 4 Blutgruppen, 4 Ernährungsweisen, 4 Bewegungskonzepte, 4 Strategien für ein gesundes Leben.
Cheating the Hangman book cover

Cheating the Hangman

2015

Judith Cutler
It is Easter Day, and a body hangs crucified on a tree. Unlike the Master whom Tobias serves, it will not rise from the dead. Naked except for a loincloth and a crown of thorns, the victim is unrecognisable, his face bludgeoned to a pulp.
100 Plants That Heal book cover

100 Plants That Heal

The Illustrated Herbarium of Medicinal Plants

Gerard Debuigne, Francois Couplan
Thanks to exceptional photographic plates showing detailed views of all parts of the fresh plant, you will quickly learn to recognise them when out foraging. For any plant lover or green witch, the beautiful photographs make this book an absolute treasure. Discover the fascinating history of these plants, their active components and therapeutic properties, and learn how to prepare safe herbal remedies including infusions, tinctures, oils and lotions. This journey into plant-based wellbeing is guided by a respected ethnobotanist and doctor of phytotherapy, meaning you can grow your knowledge of this natural science with complete confidence. The plants are ordered alphabetically, and each species has its own dedicated page packed with information. The guide covers a huge range of common plants, including almond, blackcurrant, borage, caraway, chard, chicory, dandelion, fig, hazel, ivy, juniper, nettle, poppy, cornflower, cowslip, oak, walnut, eucalyptus, fennel, flax, nasturtium, heather, horse-chestnut, jasmine, lavender, leek, mint, oregano, pomegranate, raspberry, rosemary, St. John's-wort, watercress, thyme and yarrow. At the end of the book, you'll find a small practical guide for budding herbalists, featuring useful tips for picking and preserving plants while being an environmentally responsible picker, ensuring you always show respect to nature and its 'magical' healing powers. The healing properties referenced for each plant are fully explained and there's a glossary of botanical terms to ensure that everything is clear for complete beginners. Use the two handy indexes at the end of the book to search for plants by health benefit or by name, making it quick and easy to find the perfect remedy for any ailment, condition or illness. You'll find suggested treatments for nausea, coughs, colds and flu, acne, burns, bites and sprains, as well as ideas for pain relief, skincare and aids for digestion, stress, sleep and more. This magnificent book will satisfy all your curiosities about healing plants and become your essential companion to herbal medicines and natural beauty products.
The Physician's Daughter book cover

The Physician's Daughter

2022

Martha Conway
It is 1865, the American Civil War has just ended, and 18-year old Vita Tenney is determined to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a country doctor like her father. But when her father tells her she must get married instead, Vita explores every means of escape - and finds one in the person of war veteran Jacob Culhane. Damaged by what he's seen in battle and with all his family gone, Jacob is seeking investors for a fledgling business. Then he meets Vita - and together they hatch a plan that should satisfy both their desires. Months later, Vita seemingly has everything she ever wanted. But alone in a big city and haunted by the mistakes of her past, she wonders if the life she always thought she wanted was too good to be true. When love starts to compete with ambition, what will come out on top?
The Woman in the Woods book cover

The Woman in the Woods

2018

John Connolly
The new thrilling installment of John Connolly's popular Charlie Parker series. Charlie Parker aids the police when a buried, semi-mummified body of a woman is discovered. She apparently died of childbirth. Parker has to find out who she was and what happened to the child.
The Binding book cover

The Binding

2019

Bridget Collins
Books are dangerous things in Collins' alternate universe, a place vaguely reminiscent of 19th-century England. It's a world in which people visit book binders to rid themselves of painful or treacherous memories. Once their stories have been told and are bound between the pages of a book, the slate is wiped clean and their memories lose the power to hurt or haunt them. After having suffered some sort of mental collapse and no longer able to keep up with his farm chores, Emmett Farmer is sent to the workshop of one such binder to live and work as her apprentice. Leaving behind home and family, Emmett slowly regains his health while learning the binding trade. He is forbidden to enter the locked room where books are stored, so he spends many months marbling end pages, tooling leather book covers, and gilding edges. But his curiosity is piqued by the people who come and go from the inner sanctum, and the arrival of the lordly Lucian Darnay, with whom he senses a connection, changes everything.
The Celtic Year book cover

The Celtic Year

A rhythm of prayer and meditation for the eight points of the Celtic year

David Cole
‘David Cole is a careful, wise and skilful writer and guide.’ The Revd Canon Professor James Woodward, Principal, Sarum College, Salisbury Following the ancient rhythm of the Celtic year, these prayers, meditations and liturgies will help you focus on the natural flow of life as it changes around you. Based on the eight points of the Celtic year – the four season changes, and the four midpoints of each season – and moving from winter to spring, summer and harvest, each of the eight sections includes a liturgy for a full service, a week of daily readings, guided contemplations and a selection of prayers and blessings.
The Dead of Winter book cover

The Dead of Winter

Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures

Sarah Clegg
Enter the dark side of discover the monsters, witches, and nightmarish traditions behind one of the most celebrated holidays in the world When we imagine the origins of Christmas, we picture halcyon images of mangers, glowing fireplaces, and snow\-blanketed winter hills. But the holiday is celebrated during the darkest time of year in the Northern Hemisphere—a season so dark it has given rise to the most outlandish traditions imaginable. In The Dead of Winter, Oxford\-trained historian Sarah Clegg delves deep into the folkloric roots of Christmas in Europe, comparing their often\-horrific past to the way they continue to haunt and entertain us now in the 21st century. Detailing the hideous masks and curling horns of "Krampus runs" in Austria, the fearsome horseheads of "hoodenings" in Southeast England, and the candle\-crowned young witches of Finland's St. Lucy Festival, the author captures the wild revelry at heart of the winter madness. In Clegg’s fascinating investigation, these strange, wonderful traditions are cast in their illuminating historical context. And the closer we get to the dark magic and bright enchantment described in The Dead of Winter, the more we start to see how fun it might be to let just a bit of the ancient darkness in.
Ink book cover

Ink

2017

Alice Broadway
There are no secrets in Saintstone. From the second you're born, every achievement, every failing, every significant moment are all immortalized on your skin. There are honorable marks that let people know you're trustworthy. And shameful tattoos that announce you as a traitor. After her father dies, Leora finds solace in the fact that his skin tells a wonderful story. That is, until she glimpses a mark on the back of his neck...the symbol of the worst crime a person can commit in Saintstone. Leora knows it has to be a mistake, but before she can do anything about it, the horrifying secret gets out, jeopardizing her father's legacy...and Leora's life. In her startlingly prescient debut, Alice Broadway shines a light on the dangerous lengths we go to make our world feel orderly—even when the truth refuses to stay within the lines. This rich, lyrical fantasy with echoes of Orwell is unlike anything you've ever read, a tale guaranteed to get under your skin...
Wildblood book cover

Wildblood

2023

Lauren Blackwood
A thrilling new fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blackwood! Eighteen-year-old Victoria is a Wildblood. Since she was kidnapped at the age of six and manipulated by the Exotic Lands Touring Company, she’s worked as a tour guide ever since with a team of fellow Wildbloods who take turns using their magic to protect travelers in a Jamaican jungle teeming with ghostly monsters. When the boss denies Victoria an earned promotion to team leader in favor of Dean, her backstabbing ex, she’s determined to prove herself. Her magic may be the most powerful on the team, but she’s not the image the boss wants to send their new client, Thorn, a renowned goldminer determined to reach an untouched gold supply deep in the jungle. Thorn is everything Victoria isn't - confident, impossibly kind, and so handsome he leaves her speechless. And when he entrusts the mission to her, kindness turns to mutual respect, turns to affection, turns to love. But the jungle is treacherous, and between hypnotic river spirits, soul-devouring women that shed their skin like snakes, and her ex out for revenge, Victoria has to decide - is promotion at a corrupt company really what she wants? A fierce, lush fantasy by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blackwood, Wildblood tells the story of a girl who must find the strength to defeat the demons of the jungle as well as her own to find where she truly belongs. "A lyrically told story of healing after trauma and finding home, Wildblood is as fierce as it is beautiful, and as hopeful as it is heartbreaking." - Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf "Wildblood is a poignant, thrilling, emotionally complex story of love and sacrifice. Victoria's tense journey through the haunted jungle is filled with terror and beauty, both supernatural and human, and will grip you until the very last page." - L. Penelope, award-winning author of the Earthsinger Chronicles
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Grim and Oro

2025

Alex Aster
Two brand-new romantasy novellas bound into one deluxe, novel-length volume written from the perspectives of Grim and Oro, from #1 New York Times\-bestselling author and #BookTok sensation Alex Aster True love knows no bounds. This premium, dual-sided volume includes two complete novellas bound together to create one can’t-miss collector’s item. The first novella—told from Grim’s perspective—gives readers insight into his past: the motivations and events that cemented his fate as Isla’s eventual love interest. The second is narrated by Oro and offers a window into his complex identity: that of a king torn between desire for justice and passion for the woman he loves more than anything. Grim and Oro: Dueling Crowns Edition includes key moments from the rulers’ love stories with Isla, expanded upon in their own voices. This gorgeous dual-sided Lightlark companion book from #1 New York Times bestselling author Alex Aster contains two full novellas bound together in one breathtaking package that boasts a suite of premium features: Dual-sided slipcase with two unique cover designs Die cuts and foil stamping in two colors on both sides of slipcase Full-color case with illustrations on both sides Full-color, stenciled edges Full-color endpapers with never-before-seen illustrations Grim and Oro is certain to thrill readers and test allegiances, leaving new and longtime fans second-guessing who they’re rooting for in the breathtaking battle for Isla’s heart.
In a Thousand Different Ways book cover

In a Thousand Different Ways

2023

Cecelia Ahern
Finding your way is never a simple journey… Alice sees the worst in people. She also sees the best. She sees a thousand different emotions and knows exactly what everyone around her is feeling. Every. Single. Day. But it’s the dark thoughts. The sadness. The rage. These are the things she can’t get out of her head. The things that overwhelm her. Where will the journey to find herself begin?
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Masters of Death

2018

Olivie Blake
From Olivie Blake, the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes Masters of Death, a story about vampires, ghosts, and death itself! Viola Marek is a struggling real estate agent, and a vampire. But her biggest problem currently is that the house she needs to sell is haunted. The ghost haunting the house has been murdered, and until he can solve the mystery of how he died, he refuses to move on. Fox D’Mora is a medium, and though is also most-definitely a shameless fraud, he isn’t entirely without his uses—seeing as he’s actually the godson of Death. When Viola seeks out Fox to help her with her ghost-infested mansion, he becomes inextricably involved in a quest that neither he nor Vi expects (or wants). But with the help of an unruly poltergeist, a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel, a love-stricken reaper, and a few high-functioning creatures, Vi and Fox soon discover the difference between a mysterious lost love and an annoying dead body isn’t nearly as distinct as they thought. Also by Olivie Blake Alone With You in the Ether One For My Enemy The Atlas Six The Atlas Paradox
UrgroBmutters Naturapotheke book cover

UrgroBmutters Naturapotheke

1990

Lutz Bernau
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The Flow

Rivers, Water and Wildness

Amy-Jane Beer
A visit to the rapid where she lost a cherished friend unexpectedly reignites Amy-Jane Beer’s love of rivers setting her on a journey of natural, cultural and emotional discovery. On New Year’s Day 2012, Amy-Jane Beer’s beloved friend Kate set out with a group of others to kayak the River Rawthey in Cumbria. Kate never came home, and her death left her devoted family and friends bereft and unmoored. Returning to visit the Rawthey years later, Amy realises how much she misses the connection to the natural world she always felt when on or close to rivers, and so begins a new phase of exploration. The Flow is a book about water, and, like water, it meanders, cascades and percolates through many lives, landscapes and stories. From West Country torrents to Levels and Fens, rocky Welsh canyons, the salmon highways of Scotland and the chalk rivers of the Yorkshire Wolds, Amy-Jane follows springs, streams and rivers to explore tributary themes of wildness and wonder, loss and healing, mythology and history, cyclicity and transformation. Threading together places and voices from across Britain, The Flow is a profound, immersive exploration of our personal and ecological place in nature.
The House of Fortune book cover

The House of Fortune

2022

Jessie Burton
Alive with the magic of Amsterdam, the enchanting new historical novel from the author of the sensational New York Times bestseller The Miniaturist, which has sold more than two million copies. In 1705 Amsterdam, Thea Brandt is coming of age, trying to grapple with her family's secrets and her own identity as a young Dutch-African woman. She's drawn to the theater and an artistic life, but with her family in serious financial decline, pressure is on Thea to marry up in society. As her father and Aunt Nella work desperately to save the family home and catastrophe threatens to engulf them, Thea seeks refuge in the arms of her secret lover, Walter, the chief set-painter at her favorite theater. But the thrill of their romance is shadowed by another secret she keeps close: Her birthday marks the day her mother, Marin, died in labor. Thea's family refuses to share the details of the story, just as they seem terrified to speak of the shadowy artist from their past whose tiny figurines seem to capture the things most carefully hidden away. Aunt Nella believes the solution to Thea's problems is to find her a husband, and an unexpected invitation to Amsterdam's most exclusive ball seems like a golden opportunity. But when a miniature figure of Walter turns up on Thea's doorstep, it becomes clear that someone out there has another fate in mind for the family- and that perhaps the new beginning Thea seeks won't depend on a man. A feat of sweeping, magical storytelling, The House of Fortune is an unputdownable novel about love and obsession, family and loyalty, and the fantastic power of secrets.
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Sally's Lament

2024

Mari Mancusi
What if Sally discovered Christmas Town? Sally has mostly loved her creepy hometown of Halloween Town. But lately, she can't help but want something more. In a place full of the frightening, you'd think living in the shadows wouldn't feel so . . . isolating. She knows she could do so much more if she wasn't always stuck in the lab of her creator, Dr. Finkelstein. Soon Sally is surprised to learn that the Pumpkin King, Jack, is longing for a change of his own. Determined to find a solution for them both, Sally follows a vision that could be the key to changing their fates. But the more time Sally spends in the strange, jolly land of Christmas Town, the more suspicious she grows of the seemingly idyllic winter wonderland. What is lurking behind those dancing sugar plums? And what exactly does it mean to be put on the Naughty List? Will Sally be able to save the best of both towns—before it's too late?
The Lost Witch book cover

The Lost Witch

2018

Melvin Burgess
Bea has started to hear and see things that no one else can – creatures, voices, visions. Then strangers visit Bea and tell her she is different: she has the rare powers of a witch. They warn her she is being hunted. Her parents think she is hallucinating and needs help. All Bea wants to do is get on with her life, and to get closer to Lars, the mysterious young man she has met at the skate park. But her life is in danger, and she must break free. The question is – who can she trust? Carnegie Medal-winner Melvin Burgess returns with a powerful, thrilling fantasy for young adults about magic, myth and following your instincts.
A History of Everyday Things in England book cover

A History of Everyday Things in England

1918

Marjorie Quennell
A history of everyday things in England, done in four parts, of which this is the first, 1066-1499. Castles, houses, churches, games, costume, ships, coaches, toys, etc.
The Secret Garden book cover

The Secret Garden

1911

Frances Hodgson Burnett
When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of secrets. The mansion has nearly one hundred rooms, and her uncle keeps himself locked up. And at night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors. The gardens surrounding the large property are Mary's only escape. Then, Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and locked with a missing key. One day, with the help of two unexpected companions, she discovers a way in. Is everything in the garden dead, or can Mary bring it back to life? One of the most delightful and enduring classics of children's literature, The Secret Garden has remained a firm favorite with children the world over ever since it made its first appearance. Initially published as a serial story in 1910 in The American Magazine, it was brought out in novel form in 1911.
What Are You Hungry For? book cover

What Are You Hungry For?

The Chopra Solution to Permanent Weight Loss, Well-Being and Lightness of Soul

Deepak Chopra
★紐約時報暢銷書 ★美國公共電視網特別報導 當心靈得到滿足,身體自然就不再錯將情緒渴求轉化成飢餓感。 14個行動步驟,覺察自己最基本的動機, 找出自己真正的渴求,讓身心靈完美連結。 你是不是也這樣? 心情不好就想吃東西?用速食滿足你的飲食衝動?有時候不餓也狂吃? 想保持體態、控制體重,反覆跟從各種健康飲食建議,卻沒有成效? 你的問題可能不在口腹之欲而在心靈滿足,沒有覺察心理因素影響你的行為。 人的飢餓感是獨立於食物而存在。飢餓感很容易受情緒、分心、空虛、沮喪、壓力所干擾,如果你將身體的飢餓訊號帶回到平衡狀態,想吃東西的衝動就會變成你的盟友而非敵人。這一切關鍵在於直接取得連結心靈和身體的訊息。 當你能滿足自己最初始的渴望,感到安全、被尊重、被欣賞、被愛、與人連結,食物就只不是眾多的樂趣之一。 全球身心醫學領域的領導權威,暢銷書作家狄帕克.喬布拉博士指出,我們的腦的每個層次都是用來追求幸福的,但是我們卻只關注身體,沒有意識到內在的訊號。我們必須重新建立一層心理覺察,才能真正改變。 喬布拉在這本劃時代《你在渴求什麼?》著作中,用現代身心醫學新知,讓我們發現被長期忽略௚
The Quiet People book cover

The Quiet People

2021

Paul Cleave
Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are successful crime writers. They have been on the promotional circuit, joking that no one knows how to get away with crime like they do. After all, they write about it for a living. So when their seven-year-old son Zach goes missing, the police and the public naturally wonder if they have finally decided to prove what they have been saying all this time… Are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?
The Untold Story book cover

The Untold Story

2021

Genevieve Cogman
In this thrilling historical fantasy, time-traveling Librarian spy Irene will need to delve deep into a tangled web of loyalty and power to keep her friends safe. Irene is trying to learn the truth about Alberich-and the possibility that he's her father. But when the Library orders her to kill him, and then Alberich himself offers to sign a truce, she has to discover why he originally betrayed the Library. With her allies endangered and her strongest loyalties under threat, she'll have to trace his past across multiple worlds and into the depths of mythology and folklore, to find the truth at the heart of the Library, and why the Library was first created.
Celtic Advent book cover

Celtic Advent

40 days of devotions to Christmas

This inspirational book takes the reader through Advent to the celebration of Christmas through the eyes and beliefs of Celtic Christianity. Starting in November and reflecting on Jesus' coming at his birth as well as into our lives by the Holy Spirit and at the world's end, the author offers a unique approach to the season to help you gain a new sense of wonder in the birth of Jesus, the Saviour of the world
Rauhnächte book cover

Rauhnächte

Die geheimnisvolle Zeit zwischen den Jahren: Alte Bräuche und magische Rituale fßr sich entdecken

Elfie Courtenay
Der Blick in die Zukunft, umherirrende Geister, Bräuche des Beschwörens, Beschwichtigens und Bannens – die zwölf Rauhnächte zwischen dem 25. Dezember und dem 6. Januar umgab von jeher ein besonderer Zauber. Dieser magische, liebevoll vierfarbig gestaltete und fundierte Begleiter durch jene sagenumwobene Zeit lässt die letzten Tage des Jahres zu etwas ganz Persönlichem werden: zu einer heilsamen Zeit der Rückschau, tiefer Selbsterfahrung und Ausrichtung auf das Kommende. Mit alten Orakel-Techniken, Anleitungen fürs Räuchern, für Rituale, das Anfertigen von Schutzamuletten u.v.a.m.
The Light and Shade of Ellen Swithin book cover

The Light and Shade of Ellen Swithin

A thriller that will change the way you think about your colleagues

DG Coutinho
Ellen is tired of being overshadowed at work. Tired of watching less competent, entitled suits take the promotions she’s earned. But when one of them pushes her too far, things take a murderous turn. And it turns out the darker Ellen goes, the shinier her future starts to look. Business can be murder, but it turns out murder can also be good business for Ellen. Torn between capitalising on her newfound success and desperately covering her tracks she soon discovers that others in the company are also interested in dramatically adjusting its toxic office culture. Will she be able to survive the competition?
Wish You Weren't Here book cover

Wish You Weren't Here

2021

The Rook family run a little business: ghost hunting. And things has picked up recently. Something’s wrong. It’s been getting noticeably worse since, ooh, 2016? Bad spirits are abroad, and right now they're particularly around Coldbay Island, which isn’t even abroad, it’s only 20 miles from Skegness. The Rooks’ ‘quick call out’ to the island picks loose a thread that begins to unravel the whole place, and the world beyond. Is this the apocalypse? This might be the apocalypse. Who knew it would kick off in an off-season seaside resort off the Lincolnshire coast? I’ll tell you who knew - Linda. She’s been feeling increasingly uneasy about the whole of the East Midlands since the 90s.
The Beautiful Cure book cover

The Beautiful Cure

The Revolution in Immunology and What It Means for Your Health

Daniel M. Davis
The immune system holds the key to human health. In The Beautiful Cure, leading immunologist Professor Daniel Davis describes the scientific quest to understand how it works – and how it is affected by stress, sleep, age and our state of mind – and explains how this knowledge is now unlocking a revolutionary new approach to medicine and well-being. The body's ability to fight disease and heal itself is one of the great mysteries and marvels of nature. But within the last few years painstaking research has resulted in major advances in our understanding of this breathtakingly beautiful inner world: a vast and intricate network of specialist cells, regulatory proteins and dedicated genes that are continually protecting our bodies. Far more powerful than any medicine ever invented, it also plays a crucial role in our daily lives. Already we have found ways to harness these natural defences to create breakthrough drugs and so-called immunotherapies that help us fight cancer, diabetes, arthritis and many age-related diseases, and we are starting to understand whether or not activities such as mindfulness might play a role in enhancing our physical resilience. Written by an expert at the forefront of this adventure, The Beautiful Cure tells a dramatic story of detective work and discovery, of puzzles solved and of the mysteries that remain, of lives sacrificed and saved, introducing the reader to this revelatory new understanding of the human body and what it takes to be healthy.
Once Upon a Dream book cover

Once Upon a Dream

2016

Liz Braswell
What if the sleeping beauty never woke up? It should be simple—a dragon defeated, a slumbering maiden, a prince poised to wake her. But when said prince falls asleep as soon as his lips meet the princess', it is clear that this fairy tale is far from over. With a desperate fairy's last curse infiltrating her mind, Princess Aurora will have to navigate a dangerous and magical landscape deep in the depths of her dreams. Soon she stumbles upon Phillip, a charming prince eager to join her quest. But with Maleficent's agents following her every move, Aurora struggles to discover who her true allies are, and moreover, who she truly is. Time is running out. Will the sleeping beauty be able to wake herself up? Once Upon a Dream marks the second book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways.
Do Not Be Troubled book cover

Do Not Be Troubled

How The Buddha Faced Life's Challenges

Graham Dixon
These days we encounter the image of the Buddha everywhere, from restaurants and hotel gardens to fitness clubs and health spas. He always looks so tranquil, almost unreal. It comes as a surprise to learn that his serenity was maintained against the background of false accusations, assassination attempts, misbehaving monks, deceitful dynasty rivalries and family tensions. The fact that he experienced this adversity, retained his equanimity, and formed a community dedicated to individual and societal peace can give us grounds for optimism. He identified a path to navigate these vicissitudes. Understanding the Buddha as a flesh and blood figure and learning about the challenges he faced provides a source of hope in difficult times. Until recently Graham Dixon was Head of Radio at the European Broadcasting Union, and, before that, Managing Editor of BBC Radio 3. He became interested in Buddhism following a brush with secular mindfulness on a management development seminar and subsequently gained a Masters in Buddhist Studies, where his particular interest was the emergence of the Buddhist community.
On This Day in History book cover

On This Day in History

2014

Graeme Donald
A journey through all 365 days of the year, examining some of the most significant events in history that occured on that day The abandoned Mary Celeste is mysteriously found drifting in the mid-Atlantic; Mozart is buried in an unmarked communal grave; and U.S. Prohibition is brought to an end. Although separated by centuries, these events all share the same December 5th. On This Day in History looks back at all 365 days of the year and provides short, riveting entries on the most significant events in history that occurred on that day. One single day could see Alexander the Great cozying up to Winston Churchill and Fidel Castro, or Cleopatra could find herself sharing a page with Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi. This book traverses continents and timelines to give its own unique perspective on these historical events. A wide variety of familiar and lesser-known events are represented, providing fascinating facts that are guaranteed both to educate and entertain any history enthusiast.
Buddha Da book cover

Buddha Da

2003

Anne Donovan
Librarian note: An alternative cover for this ISBN can be found here. Anne Marie's dad, a Glaswegian painter and decorator, has always been game for a laugh. So when he first takes up meditation at the Buddhist Center, no one takes him seriously. But as Jimmy becomes more involved in a search for the spiritual, his beliefs start to come into conflict with the needs of his wife, Liz. Cracks appear in their apparently happy family life, and the ensuing events change the lives of each family member.
Zennor In Darkness book cover

Zennor In Darkness

1994

Helen Dunmore
Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780140173567 In her prize-winning first novel, Zennor in Darkness, Helen Dunmore reimagines the plight of D.H. Lawrence and his German wife hiding out in Cornwall during the First World War. Spring, 1917, and war haunts the Cornish coastal village of Zennor: ships are being sunk by U-boats, strangers are treated with suspicion, and newspapers are full of spy stories. Into this turmoil come D. H Lawrence and his German wife, Frieda hoping to escape the war-fever that grips London. They befriend Clare Coyne, a young artist struggling to console her beloved cousin, John William, who is on leave from the trenches and suffering from shell-shock. Yet the dark tide of gossip and innuendo means that Zennor is neither a place of recovery nor of escape . . . 'Helen Dunmore mesmerizes you with her magical pen' Daily Mail 'A beautiful and inspired novel' John le CarrĂŠ 'Secrets, unspoken words, lies that have the truth wrapped up in them somewhere make Dunmore's stories ripple with menace and suspense' Sunday Times Helen Dunmore has published eleven novels with Penguin: Zennor in Darkness, which won the McKitterick Prize; Burning Bright; A Spell of Winter, which won the Orange Prize; Talking to the Dead; Your Blue-Eyed Boy; With Your Crooked Heart; The Siege, which was shortlisted for the 2001 Whitbread Novel of the Year Award and for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2002; Mourning Ruby; House of Orphans; Counting the Stars and The Betrayal, which was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2010. She is also a poet, children's novelist and short-story writer.
The Circle book cover

The Circle

2013

Dave Eggers
alternate cover for ISBN 9780385351393 When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful internet company, she feels she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime. The Circle, run out of a sprawling California campus, links users’ personal emails, social media, banking, and purchasing with their universal operating system, resulting in one online identity and a new age of civility and transparency. As Mae tours the open-plan office spaces, the towering glass dining facilities, the cozy dorms for those who spend nights at work, she is thrilled with the company’s modernity and activity. There are parties that last through the night, there are famous musicians playing on the lawn, there are athletic activities and clubs and brunches, and even an aquarium of rare fish retrieved from the Marianas Trench by the CEO. Mae can’t believe her luck, her great fortune to work for the most influential company in the world—even as life beyond the campus grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken, even as her role at the Circle becomes increasingly public. What begins as the captivating story of one woman’s ambition and idealism soon becomes a heart-racing novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge.
Love At First Fright book cover

Love At First Fright

2024

Nadia El-Fassi
In this paranormal spicy age gap romance, a successful horror author whose novel is being adapted into a movie clashes with the actor cast as the male lead, all in a cozy mansion filled with ghosts, from the author of Best Hex Ever Rosemary Shaw’s ability to see the dead has never scared her. In fact, it’s secretly inspired most of her horror novels. Now at twenty-nine and an acclaimed author, Rosemary’s most successful book is about to be a blockbuster movie. Set in a beautiful manor house in the English countryside, it’s no surprise there’s ghosts hanging around the film crew. But ghosts are something Rosemary can handle, she’s not so sure how to deal with her infuriatingly handsome leading man, who is all wrong for the role. Ellis Finch is a Hollywood heartthrob with a secret. He’s tired of playing the action movie hero and would much rather be gardening with his sweet dog Fig. Frankly, he’s getting too old to maintain the industry’s standards of what a man should look like. Starring in a historical horror movie might be just the ticket for his new image, until he finds out that the author tried to get him kicked off the show. Amidst filming for the movie and the chemistry-filled feuding between Rosemary and Ellis, Hallowvale manor comes alive, literally. Trying to balance the mayhem of her writing deadlines, an adorable ghostly dog and a pair of Regency-era women who are definitely nothing more than friends, Rosemary is at risk of telling Ellis her secret, or worse – falling for him.
The Neverending Story book cover

The Neverending Story

1979

Michael Ende
This epic work of the imagination has captured the hearts of millions of readers worldwide since it was first published. Its special story within a story is an irresistible invitation for readers to become part of the book itself. The story begins with a lonely boy named Bastian and the strange book that draws him into the beautiful but doomed world of Fantastica. Only a human can save this enchanted place by giving its ruler, the Childlike Empress, a new name. But the journey to her tower leads through lands of dragons, giants, monsters, and magic, and once Bastian begins his quest, he may never return. As he is drawn deeper into Fantastica, he must find the courage to face unspeakable foes and the mysteries of his own heart. Readers, too, can travel to the wondrous, unforgettable world of Fantastica if they will just turn the page...
Faeries book cover

Faeries

1978

Brian Froud
Edited by David Larkin. Two talented artists explore the world of faeries in myths, legends, and folklore.
The Christmas Stocking and Other Stories book cover

The Christmas Stocking and Other Stories

2017

Katie Fforde
Delve inside this CHRISTMAS STOCKING choc-full of perfectly themed, never-before-published seasonal short stories perfect for anyone who loves romance, humour and happy-ever-after endings. By the Sunday Times Number One bestselling author, Katie Fforde. THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING: Romy is all set to join her boyfriend and his family in France for Christmas, though truth be told she isn’t looking forward to it very much. And then she meets Felix – and her plans for the big day suddenly become a lot more interesting. CANDLELIGHT AT CHRISTMAS: It was meant to be the perfect Christmas – surrounded by friends and family in their beautiful home in the country. But then the lights go out, and Fenella knows she will have to work very hard to keep everyone happy … THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY: It’s Christmas Eve in Crinan, and a young man is on his own with only his nephew and niece for company. Then Ella arrives. Dressed as a fairy, she is determined to wave her wand and give them all the best Christmas ever. And many more! Guaranteed to make this your happiest Christmas ever!
Treacle Walker book cover

Treacle Walker

2021

Alan Garner
Treacle Walker is a stunning fusion of myth and folklore and an exploration of the fluidity of time, vivid storytelling that brilliantly illuminates an introspective young mind trying to make sense of everything around him. 'Ragbone! Ragbone! Any rags! Pots for rags! Donkey stone!' Joe looked up from his comic and lifted his eye patch. There was a white pony in the yard. It was harnessed to a cart, a flat cart, with a wooden chest on it. A man was sitting at a front corner of the cart, holding the reins. His face was creased. He wore a long coat and a floppy high-crowned hat, with hair straggling beneath, and a leather bag was slung from his shoulder across his hip. Joe Coppock squints at the world with his lazy eye. He reads his comics, collects birds' eggs and treasures his marbles, particularly his prized dobbers. When Treacle Walker appears off the Cheshire moor one day - a wanderer, a healer - an unlikely friendship is forged and the young boy is introduced to a world he could never have imagined.
Coming Down the Wye book cover

Coming Down the Wye

1942

Robert Gibbings
EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER ONE: Plynlimon is the kind of mountain I like. It is neither too high nor too steep, and there are few precipices. In fact, you can't break your neck without an effort. It is a friendly hill. Once upon a time I travelled to the Pyrenees with K J. Moeran, in the side-car of his motor bike. He had recently composed his symphonic impression, In the Mountain Country, and no doubt crystallizations of this work were appearing constantly before his eyes. My thoughts, however, were of a more mathematical nature, While his vision was carrying him in harmonies from peak to peak, from waterfall to waterfall, and from sunlit mist to vaporous shadow, my whole interest was centred in determining how long it would take a falling body to reach the bottom of a threer-thousand-foot abyss, accelerating at the standard rate of thirty-two feet per second per second, in accordance with Sir Isaac Newton's law of gravitation. Moeran was driving the machine, and I was in the side-car, and invariably the side-car seemed to be on the outer side of the road. There are few pro tecting wails on those high mountain passes. You just get a clear, uninterrupted view to the very bottom. There is nothing like that about Plynlimon. It is a place where you can enjoy all the pleasures of height without anticipating any of the inconveniences of sudden descent. Of course there are cliffs, but they are not formidable ones, and he must have a poor head who cannot look down on the dark green waters of the Rheidol Lake and watch the buzzards soaring to and from the overhanging rocks. Only two downward beats of the wings and the great birds sail out into space, wheeling higher and higher in ever-widening circles. Then, uttering their querulous mewing cry, they half close their wings and glide again to their stony perch. It was mid-winter when I first tried to reach the source of the Wye, on Plynlimon. In the morning, when I left Llangurig, the sun had risen in a clear sky, and was throwing its radiance over the snow-covered hills. To the west the sky was green as olives and. the ice-fringed river, reflecting that colour, showed all the lights of an aquamarine. Higher in the hills the water in the tributaries flowed through crystal gorges. It was as if some giant crucibles of molten glass had been spilled along either bank. In sheltered pools, where the water was deep and calm, delicate fern like plates of ice stretched out to meet each other over mid-stream, but on windier stretches the frozen surface was rippled and polished, and dark as the water flowing beneath. Where there had been a waterfall there were now caverns of ice, festooned with stalactites, the rock faces on either side shining like chandeliers with frozen spray. Although there wasn't a cloud to be seen small snow-flakes began to fall, each one dazzling bright in the sunlight, and the higher I climbed the larger these flakes became. But they soon lost their brilliance. By midday the horizons were blotted out, and the tussocks of grass at my feet were crested with fresh snow. The ice-flecked stream had become the colour of pewter. The snow fell thicker and thicker, and a cold wind swept down the valley. Soon I became enveloped in this mild blizzard. My only guide was the Wye itself, beside me, now no wider than an old man's jump.

The Tail Tale

1934

A.L. Gibson
1934\. First Edition Thus. 140 pages. Pictorial dust jacket over purple cloth. Contains black and white illustrated plates. Pages remain bright and clear. Pages have mild tanning and foxing throughout. Previous owner's inscription to front endpaper. Boards have light edgewear with corner crushing and notable marking to boards. Moderate tanning to board edges and spine, which has mild crushing to ends. Unclipped jacket has heavy edgewear with some areas of loss, heavy tears, chips, and creasing. Droplet mark to panel. Light rubbing and marking all over. Moderate tanning to spine.
Girl in Pieces book cover

Girl in Pieces

2016

Kathleen Glasgow
Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you. Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.
Tidelands book cover

Tidelands

2019

Philippa Gregory
England 1648. A dangerous time for a woman to be different . . . Midsummer’s Eve, 1648, and England is in the grip of civil war between renegade King and rebellious Parliament. The struggle reaches every corner of the kingdom, even to the remote Tidelands – the marshy landscape of the south coast. Alinor, a descendant of wise women, crushed by poverty and superstition, waits in the graveyard under the full moon for a ghost who will declare her free from her abusive husband. Instead she meets James, a young man on the run, and shows him the secret ways across the treacherous marsh, not knowing that she is leading disaster into the heart of her life. Suspected of possessing dark secrets in superstitious times, Alinor’s ambition and determination mark her out from her neighbours. This is the time of witch-mania, and Alinor, a woman without a husband, skilled with herbs, suddenly enriched, arouses envy in her rivals and fear among the villagers, who are ready to take lethal action into their own hands.
The Borthers Grimm Fairytales book cover

The Borthers Grimm Fairytales

2005

Jacob Grimm
This collection of the famous Fairytales by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm THE GOLDEN BIRD, HANS IN LUCK, JORINDA AND JORINDEL, THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS, OLD SULTAN, THE STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN, BRIAR ROSE, THE DOG AND THE SPARROW, THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES, THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE, THE WILLOW-WREN AND THE BEAR, THE FROG-PRINCE, CAT AND MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP, THE GOOSE-GIRL, RAPUNZEL, HANSEL AND GRETEL, THE MOUSE, THE BIRD, AND THE SAUSAGE, MOTHER HOLLE, LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD, THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM, TOM THUMB, RUMPELSTILTSKIN, CLEVER GRETEL, THE OLD MAN AND HIS GRANDSON, THE WOLF AND THE SEVEN LITTLE KIDS, THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER, THE THREE LANGUAGES, THE FOX AND THE CAT, THE FOUR CLEVER BROTHERS, THE RAVEN, THE GOLDEN GOOSE, THE WATER OF LIFE, THE TWELVE HUNTSMEN, THE KING OF THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN, THE SEVEN RAVENS, THE WEDDING OF MRS FOX, KING GRISLY-BEARD, IRON HANS, SNOW-WHITE and others. The stories were translated by Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle book cover

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

2018

Stuart Turton
Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 p.m. There are eight days, and eight witnesses for you to inhabit. We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer. Understood? Then let's begin . . . Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others . . . The most inventive debut of the year twists together a mystery of such unexpected creativity it will leave listeners guessing until the very last second.
This Is What Happened book cover

This Is What Happened

2018

Mick Herron
From CWA Gold Dagger winner Mick Herron comes a shocking, twisted novel of psychological suspense about one woman’s attempt to be better than ordinary Twenty-six-year-old Maggie Barnes is someone you would never look at twice. Living alone in a month-to-month sublet in the huge city of London, with no family but an estranged sister, no boyfriend or partner, and not much in the way of friends, Maggie is just the kind of person who could vanish from the face of the earth without anyone taking notice. Or just the kind of person MI5 needs to infiltrate the establishment and thwart an international plot that puts all of Britain at risk. Now one young woman has the chance to be a hero—if she can think quickly enough to stay alive.
Crossing to Paradise book cover

Crossing to Paradise

2006

Kevin Crossley-Holland
In the year 1203, nine companions set out on a pilgrimage. The journey - on foot, on horseback and by sea - is fraught with danger. Not all of them will come safely home.
A Different Kind of Daughter book cover

A Different Kind of Daughter

The Girl Who Hid from the Taliban in Plain Sight

Maria Toorpakai
Amazon Best Book of the Month "Maria Toorpakai is a true inspiration, a pioneer for millions of other women struggling to pave their own paths to autonomy, fulfillment, and genuine personhood." —Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and And the Mountains Echoed Maria Toorpakai hails from Pakistan's violently oppressive northwest tribal region, where the idea of women playing sports is considered haram-un-Islamic-forbidden—and girls rarely leave their homes. But she did, passing as a boy in order to play the sports she loved, thus becoming a lightning rod of freedom in her country's fierce battle over women's rights. A Different Kind of Daughter tell of Maria's harrowing journey to play the sport she knew was her destiny, first living as a boy and roaming the violent back alleys of the frontier city of Peshawar, rising to become the number one female squash player in Pakistan. For Maria, squash was more than liberation-it was salvation. But it was also a death sentence, thrusting her into the national spotlight and the crosshairs of the Taliban, who wanted Maria and her family dead. Maria knew her only chance of survival was to flee the country. Enter Jonathon Power, the first North American to earn the title of top squash player in the world, and the only person to heed Maria's plea for help. Recognizing her determination and talent, Jonathon invited Maria to train and compete internationally in Canada. After years of living on the run from the Taliban, Maria packed up and left the only place she had ever known to move halfway across the globe and pursue her dream. Now Maria is well on the way to becoming a world champion as she continues to be a voice for oppressed women everywhere.
Der Weg der neun Welten book cover

Der Weg der neun Welten

Die Kogi-Indianer und ihr Urwissen vom Leben im Einklang mit Himmel und Erde

Eric Julien
Why the Germans Do it Better book cover

Why the Germans Do it Better

Notes from a Grown-Up Country

John Kampfner
A provocative and entertaining exploration of the country that Britons love to hate by one of our most respected journalists. Emerging from a collection of disparate city states 150 years ago, no other country has had as turbulent a history as Germany or enjoyed so much prosperity in such a short time frame. Today, as much of the world succumbs to authoritarianism and democracy is undermined from its heart, Germany stands as a bulwark for decency and stability. Mixing personal journey and anecdote with compelling empirical evidence, this is a searching and entertaining exploration of the country many in the West still love to hate. Raising important questions for our post-Brexit landscape, Kampfner asks why Germany has become a model for others to emulate, while Britain still languishes in wartime nostalgia and fails to tackle contemporary challenges. Part memoir, part history, part travelogue, Why the Germans Do It Better is a rich and witty portrait of an eternally fascinating country.
Fairy Tale book cover

Fairy Tale

2022

Stephen King
Legendary storyteller Stephen King goes deep into the well of his imagination in this spellbinding novel about a seventeen-year-old boy who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war, and the stakes could not be higher—for their world or ours. Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. Then, when Charlie is seventeen, he meets Howard Bowditch, a recluse with a big dog in a big house at the top of a big hill. In the backyard is a locked shed from which strange sounds emerge, as if some creature is trying to escape. When Mr. Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie the house, a massive amount of gold, a cassette tape telling a story that is impossible to believe, and a responsibility far too massive for a boy to shoulder. Because within the shed is a portal to another world—one whose denizens are in peril and whose monstrous leaders may destroy their own world, and ours. In this parallel universe, where two moons race across the sky, and the grand towers of a sprawling palace pierce the clouds, there are exiled princesses and princes who suffer horrific punishments; there are dungeons; there are games in which men and women must fight each other to the death for the amusement of the “Fair One.” And there is a magic sundial that can turn back time. A story as old as myth, and as startling and iconic as the rest of King’s work, Fairy Tale is about an ordinary guy forced into the hero’s role by circumstance, and it is both spectacularly suspenseful and satisfying.
The Jesus Storybook Bible book cover

The Jesus Storybook Bible

Every Story Whispers His Name

Sally Lloyd-Jones
For over a decade, The Jesus Storybook Bible has been introducing children to God’s wonderful story, and the Savior at the center of that story. Trusted and treasured for over a decade, with over 3 million copies sold, The Jesus Storybook Bible is the quintessential book for parents, grandparents, pastors, and anyone else who wants to share God’s Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love with children. What makes The Jesus Storybook Bible different from every other kids’ Bible? While other kids’ Bibles contain stories from the Old and New Testaments, The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the Story beneath all the stories in the Bible, pointing to Jesus as our Savior. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, as the Story unfolds, children will clearly see that Jesus is at the center of God's great story of salvation—and at the center of their story too. The Jesus Storybook Bible : Other titles in the Jesus Storybook Bible collection
A Night to Remember book cover

A Night to Remember

1955

Walter Lord
First published in 1955, A Night to Remember remains a completely riveting account of the Titanic's fatal collision and the behavior of the passengers and crew, both noble and ignominious. Some sacrificed their lives, while others fought like animals for their own survival. Wives beseeched husbands to join them in lifeboats; gentlemen went taut-lipped to their deaths in full evening dress; and hundreds of steerage passengers, trapped below decks, sought help in vain.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils book cover

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils

The Complete Guide to the Use of Oils in Aromatherapy and Herbalism

Julia Lawless
This is one of the bestselling aromatherapy books of all time with vital information on plant origins, medical herbalism and the properties and actions of herbs and essential oils. It covers 165 oils, their actions, characteristics, principal constituents and folk traditions and is a must for experienced aromatherapists and beginners alike. This essential handbook is used by aromatherapists all over the world and is one of the most successful titles in this area. It includes an A–Z listing of an enormous range of internationally relevant aromatic plants. Comprehensive information is provided for each entry, for example: • Common name, Latin name, botanical plant family • General Description – what it looks like • Distribution – where it’s found • Herbal Folk Tradition – traditional uses • Actions – what it’s good for • Extraction – How the oil is extracted • Characteristics – what the oil looks like, and which other oils it blends well with • Safety Information. The Encyclopedia also covers: • History of aromatherapy and herbalism • How aromatic plants work on your body mind • How to make your own blends • Uses for oils in the home. This is a classic guide to essential oils and will remain a vital source of information for generations to come.
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Twenty-One Nights in Paris

2022

Leonie Mack
Irena and Sacha come from two very different worlds. An heiress to a fortune, Ren’s home-from-home is the Ritz, while the handsome and brooding Sacha has grown up in Paris’s less salubrious suburbs. So when an accident brings them together, romance seems an unlikely outcome. When Ren’s society engagement reaches a very public end, Irena’s over-protective grandmother wants her home in London. Ren needs an excuse to stay in Paris, and so after some persuasion, Sacha agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. But only for the twenty-one days Ren's grandmother has allowed her to nurse her broken heart before heading home to face the music. Over the course of three weeks, Ren realises the world outside her exclusive bubble is more beautiful than she could have imagined. While Sacha reluctantly begins to see the goodness of the woman behind the wealth. When their time is up, will Ren want to return to her gilded cage, and will Sacha be able to let go of the woman he’s been ‘pretending’ to fall in love with…
Shatter Me book cover

Shatter Me

2011

Tahereh Mafi
I have a curse I have a gift I am a monster I'm more than human My touch is lethal My touch is power I am their weapon I will fight back Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war—and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
Your Property Jumpstart book cover

Your Property Jumpstart

How to build a Thriving Property Business with no money, no experience, and no prior knowledge

Paul McFadden
YOUR PROPERTY JUMPSTART ÂŽ 2nd Edition (Nov 2022) From a standing start, with no personal funds, no experience, and no track record, Paul built a multi-million-pound portfolio, has bought and flipped millions of pounds worth of property, and has packaged and traded tens of millions of pounds worth of property deals to other investors, as well as being responsible for helping countless others (including many prominent, well-known people in the industry) go full-time in property. And now it's your turn. Your Property Jumpstart ÂŽ, has been written as the ultimate, no-holds-barred roadmap to building a successful property business. No matter your current circumstances, or where you're starting from, here's what's you'll discover... Whatever you believe you know about property, put it to one side. Read this book with a clear and open mind, as it truly has the potential to change your life. All you have to do is study the content and take action. "After 12+ years in property, from an incredible amount of trial and error in the early days, to where I find myself today, Your Property Jumpstart is the roadmap I wish had been available to me throughout the journey. Nothing is held back, everything is given. Let's get started." - Paul McFadden
Pure book cover

Pure

2011

Andrew Miller
Deep in the heart of Paris, its oldest cemetery is, by 1785, overflowing, tainting the very breath of those who live nearby. Into their midst comes Jean-Baptiste Baratte, a young, provincial engineer charged by the king with demolishing it. At first Baratte sees this as a chance to clear the burden of history, a fitting task for a modern man of reason. But before long, he begins to suspect that the destruction of the cemetery might be a prelude to his own.
Arthur High King of Britain book cover

Arthur High King of Britain

1994

Michael Morpurgo
As the sea sweeps in, the boy is suddenly cut off in his attempt to walk round the Scilly Isles from Great Ganilly to St Martin's. Having given up hope of survival, he finds himself waking up beside a warm fire with the man, Arthur Pendragon, and his dog, Bercelet, who have rescued him. Arthur tells him the incredible story of his life while the seawater dries out of boy's clothes. His tale begins with his legendary pulling of the sword from the stone, his leadership of an army to defeat the Saxons and his celebrated court at Camelot. From then on, he tells of the great and tragic love between himself, Guinevere and Lancelot and the numerous deeds and adventures of the knights of the Round Table. Finally, the curse of Morgana Le Fey come true and Arthur's son, Mordred, kills him, but not before he can watch Bedivere return Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. After the wonders of the story, the boy returns home, looking forward to surprising his family with his adventure - but time in the cave where Arthur hibernates until it is time for him to rule again has stood still, and the boy's family have not even noticed he was gone.

Swiss Family Robinson

1929

Traditional story, somewhat shortened and simplified. 11 illustrations, some in color.
The Wonder Book for Children book cover

The Wonder Book for Children

1948

In the Shadow of the Fall book cover

In the Shadow of the Fall

2024

Tobi Ogundiran
A cosmic war reignites and the fate of the orisha lie in the hands of an untried acolyte in this first entry of a new epic fantasy novella duology by Tobi Ogundiran, for fans of N. K. Jemisin and Tomi Adeyemi. "The novella of the year has arrived!"—Mark Oshiro, #1 New York Times bestselling author Ashâke is an acolyte in the temple of Ifa, yearning for the day she is made a priestess and sent out into the world to serve the orisha. But of all the acolytes, she is the only one the orisha refuse to speak to. For years she has watched from the sidelines as peer after peer passes her by and ascends to full priesthood. Desperate, Ashâke attempts to summon and trap an orisha—any orisha. Instead, she experiences a vision so terrible it draws the attention of a powerful enemy sect and thrusts Ashâke into the center of a centuries-old war that will shatter the very foundations of her world. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Delirium book cover

Delirium

2011

Lauren Oliver
There is an alternate cover edition for this ISBN13 here. In an alternate United States, love has been declared a dangerous disease, and the government forces everyone who reaches eighteen to have a procedure called the Cure. Living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in Portland, Maine, Lena Haloway is very much looking forward to being cured and living a safe, predictable life. She watched love destroy her mother and isn't about to make the same mistake. But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena meets enigmatic Alex, a boy from the "Wilds" who lives under the government's radar. What will happen if they do the unthinkable and fall in love?
Requiem book cover

Requiem

2013

Lauren Oliver
Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has transformed. The nascent rebellion that was underway in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight. After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven. Pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels. As Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain of the Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancĂŠe of the young mayor.Requiem is told from the perspectives of both Lena and her friend Hana. They live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.
The Thursday Murder Club book cover

The Thursday Murder Club

2020

Richard Osman
In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders. But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late?
The Man Who Died Twice book cover

The Man Who Died Twice

2021

Richard Osman
It's the following Thursday. Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life. As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus? But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?
The Bullet That Missed book cover

The Bullet That Missed

2022

Richard Osman
One Thursday afternoon in the seniors' center, a decade-old cold case—their favorite kind—leads the Thursday Murder Club to a local news legend and a murder with no body and no answers. A new foe they call "Viking", wants Elizabeth to kill former KGB chief Viktor, or he will kill her sweet best friend Joyce. Activist marked for death Ron and psychiatrist Ibrahim chase clues for Viking's identity, and investigate mob-queen prisoner from last book. This third adventure ranges from a prison cell with espresso machine to a luxury penthouse with swimming pool high in the sky.
In The Place of Fallen Leaves book cover

In The Place of Fallen Leaves

1994

Tim Pears
This overwhelmingly hot summer everything seems to be slowing down in the tiny Devon village where Alison lives, as if the sun is pouring hot glue over it. 'This idn't nothin',' says Alison's grandmother, recalling a drought when the earth swallowed lambs, and the summer after the war when people got electric shocks off each other. But Alison knows her grandmother's memory is this is far worse. She feels that time has stopped just as she wants to enter the real world of adulthood. In fact, in the cruel heat of summer, time is creeping towards her, and closing in around the valley.
The Essex Serpent book cover

The Essex Serpent

2016

Sarah Perry
Sarah Perry's award-winning novel, set at the end of the nineteenth century and inspired by true events. Moving between Essex and London, myth and modernity, Cora Seaborne's spirited search for the Essex Serpent encourages all around her to test their allegiance to faith or reason in an age of rapid scientific advancement. At the same time, the novel explores the boundaries of love and friendship and the allegiances that we have to one another. The depth of feeling that the inhabitants of Aldwinter share are matched by their city counterparts as they strive to find the courage to express and understand their deepest desires, and strongest fears.
The Royal Baby Book book cover

The Royal Baby Book

A Souvenir Album

Royal Collection Trust
From golden rattles and miniver-trimmed short coats to baby’s first pair of shoes, embroidered with tiny gold crowns, The Royal Baby Book tells the story of eight royal babies, from Queen Victoria to the new Prince George of Cambridge, whose birth this summer set in motion “royal baby mania” in Britain and beyond, with royal baby birthday parties, a collector’s paradise of commemorative trinkets, and crowds of well-wishers who gathered for weeks outside London’s St. Mary’s Hospital in the hopes of catching a quick glimpse of the wee ruler-to-be. For The Royal Baby Book ―the official publication marking the birth of the new heir to the British throne―the Royal Collection Trust has drawn on a wealth of previously unpublished materials from the Royal Collection and the Royal Archives to offer a look into the lives of eight royal babies across almost two Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince George. From infancy to the first wobbly steps and the first day at school, the book presents never-before-seen family photographs, as well as photographs of prams; tiny dresses; dolls and teddy bears; and the lost teeth, locks of hair, and little notes in childish scrawl that all parents know and treasure. The book concludes with a chapter devoted to Prince George, bringing this happy history up to the present. With 250 illustrations and full-color photographs, The Royal Baby Book will charm and captivate anyone who has ever had a baby in their life―royal or otherwise.
Two Wrongs book cover

Two Wrongs

The twisty and addictive story about obsession, betrayal and regret

Rebecca Reid
When Chloe goes to university and meets wild, carefree Zadie, she is utterly seduced by her and her lifestyle. It doesn't take long for Chloe to ditch her studies in favour of all-night parties at Zadie's huge house off campus. But when something goes badly wrong one night and Zadie disappears in the aftermath, Chloe knows she should have done more to help her friend. It's something she'll always regret. Fifteen years later, Chloe finally gets the chance to make it right. But in order to do so, she'll have to put everything at stake . . .
The Name of the Wind book cover

The Name of the Wind

2007

Patrick Rothfuss
Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.
The Final Testimony of Raphael Ignatius Phoenix book cover

The Final Testimony of Raphael Ignatius Phoenix

2014

Paul Sussman
'My name is Raphael Ignatius Phoenix and I am a hundred years old - or will be in ten days' time, in the early hours of January 1st, 2000, when I kill myself.' Raphael Ignatius Phoenix has had enough. Born at the beginning of the 20th century, he is determined to take his own life as the old millennium ends and the new one begins. But before he ends it all, he wants to get his affairs in order and put the record straight, and that includes making sense of his own long life - a life that spanned the century. He decides to write it all down and, eschewing the more usual method of pen and paper, begins to record his story on the walls of the isolated castle that is his final home. Beginning with a fateful first adventure with Emily, the childhood friend who would become his constant companion, Raphael remembers the multitude of experiences, the myriad encounters and, of course, the ten murders he committed along the way . . . And so begins one man's wholly unorthodox account of the twentieth century - or certainly his own riotous, often outrageous, somewhat unreliable and undoubtedly singular interpretation of it.
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Das Rätsel der Rauhnächte

Die kosmischen Geheimnisse der Zeit zwischen den Jahren

Reinhardt Stiehle
The Big Book of House Plants book cover

The Big Book of House Plants

2023

Emma Sibley
The Big Book of House Plants is a source of green inspiration for small-space gardening, featuring an impressive directory of 100 of the most popular varieties of foliage to own, including cacti, succulents and house plants. From dramatic palms and tropical leafy wonders to beautiful ferns and flowering potted plants – this book covers everything you need to know about nurturing and growing your own. Each of the 100 plants is accompanied by luscious photography and an easy-to-follow breakdown of all the essential requirements for that variety. This includes details on size, growth and flowering, along with any extra tips on caring for that specific plant. Perfect for anyone wanting to grow their indoor plant collection or a gift for a plant-loving friend, The Big Book of House Plants is the ultimate modern guide to all your indoor planting needs.
Death Comes to Marlow book cover

Death Comes to Marlow

2023

Robert Thorogood
It’s been an enjoyable and murder-free time for Judith, Suzie and Becks – AKA the Marlow Murder Club – since the events of last year. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey, to his nurse, Jenny Page. Sir Peter is having a party at his grand mansion on the river Thames the day before the wedding, and Judith and Co. are looking forward to a bit of free champagne. But during the soiree, there’s a crash from inside the house, and when the Marlow Murder Club rush to investigate, they are shocked to find the groom-to-be crushed to death in his study. The study was locked from the inside, so the police don’t consider the death suspicious. But Judith disagrees. As far as she's concerned, Peter was murdered! And it’s up to the Marlow Murder Club to find the killer before he or she strikes again…
The Vanishing book cover

The Vanishing

2017

Sophia Tobin
'Think Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre, but ten times darker, and you have The Vanishing … as dark and eerie and gothic as the Yorkshire Moors it is set on. One to curl up by the fire with on a windy night’ Stylist On top of the Yorkshire Moors, in an isolated spot carved out of a barren landscape, lies White Windows, a house of shadows and secrets. Here lives Marcus Twentyman, a hard-drinking but sensitive man, and his sister, the brisk widow, Hester. When runaway Annaleigh first meets the Twentymans, their offer of employment and lodgings seems a blessing. Only later does she discover the truth. But by then she is already in the middle of a web of darkness and intrigue, where murder seems the only possible means of escape. Already a Sunday Times bestselling author with her first novel, The Vanishing confirms Sophia Tobin as a major talent. Stunning, twisting historical fiction for all fans of Jessie Burton and Tracy Chevalier. ‘Undeniably page-turning’ Mail on Sunday ‘Entertaining’ Times ‘ Vivid, absorbing and wonderfully gothic, with shades of Sarah Waters and Emily and Charlotte Brontë’ Kate Riordan ‘ Brilliantly Brontë-esque . Perfect reading for a stormy night ’ Anna Mazzola ‘A vivid sense of the period … which stays with the reader long after the final page’ the i ‘The plotting is skilful, with a network of lies being woven so that no one, characters or readers, can be sure of the truth’ Daily Express ‘Atmosphere aplenty and some real surprises’ Daily Mail ‘Echoes Wuthering Heights with its setting and sense of intrigue’ Red ‘An atmospheric tale of betrayal and revenge’ woman&home ‘A thrilling, atmospheric page-turner’ Metro 'Playful and menacing, The Vanishing is a pitch perfect evocation of a classic nineteenth century Gothic novel which confirms Sophia Tobin as a writer of the highest calibre' William Ryan, author of The Constant Soldier
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Framley Parsonage

1860

Anthony Trollope
Fourth in the Barsetshire Chronicles, Framley Parsonage was published in 1860. In it the values of a Victorian gentleman, the young clergyman Mark Robarts, are put to the test. Like much fiction of 19th century England, Framley Parsonage concerns property, status, family and social conventions. In it Trollope captures the essence of Victorian England.
Finding Love at the Christmas Market book cover

Finding Love at the Christmas Market

2020

Jo Thomas
'It's Christmas in a book!' Katie Fforde 'Sprinkled with Christmas magic!' Milly Johnson 'A scrumptious seasonal treat!' Heidi Swain Cosy up with the new Christmas book from bestselling author Jo Thomas \\\_ Residential-home caterer Connie has had one online-dating disaster too many. Hurt in the past and with her son to consider, now she's feeling hesitant. Then one of Connie's residents sets her up on a date at a beautiful German Christmas market - with the promise she'll take a mini-bus full of pensioners along with her... Amongst the twinkling lights and smell of warm gingerbread in the old market square, Connie heads off on her date with a checklist of potential partner must-haves. Baker Henrich ticks all the boxes, but when Connie meets Henrich's rival William, she starts to wonder if ticking boxes is the answer. Will Connie's wish for love this Christmas come true, and if so - with who? \\\_ Readers are feeling enchanted by Finding Love at the Christmas Market: \\\\\* 'This book was a hot chocolate on a cold day, warming and satisfying.' \\\\\* 'I could smell the gingerbread and spices, a real hug of a book.' \\\\\* 'A beautiful book about finding what matters most at Christmas . . . such a heart-warming story.'
The Halfways book cover

The Halfways

2022

Nilopar Uddin
‘I loved this sweeping family drama. Moving and unforgettable’ Sarah Morgan, Sunday Times bestselling author ‘This novel is an absolute beauty, and already one of my favourites for 2022. Nilopar Uddin’s writing is entrancing, her characterisation, brilliant. In The Halfways, she has quite genuinely taken my breath away’ Jenny Ashcroft, bestselling author of Beneath a Burning Sky \ \ \* Nasrin and Sabrina are two sisters, who on the face of things live successful and enviable lives in London and New York. When their father, Shamsur suddenly dies, they rush to be with their mother at the family home and restaurant in Wales, and reluctantly step back into the stifling world of their childhood. When Shamsur’s will is read, a devastating secret is revealed that challenges all that people thought and loved about him. It also profoundly changes the lives and identities of the sisters, and creates an irreparable family rift… Moving between London, Wales, New York and Bangladesh, this is an epic family drama that spans over four decades. A story of mothers and daughters, of fathers and daughters, of sisterhood, it is a tale that explores belonging, family and what makes forgiveness and redemption possible. \ \ \* What readers are saying about The Halfways: ‘I fell in love with this well written and riveting family saga. Great characters, well plotted and gripping’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This story is a wonderful exploration of the lives of a family lived between two very different cultures . . . One of my favourite reads this year’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The Halfways is a story that at it's very core is about family, culture and belonging . . . A layered, moving and engaging read which I wholeheartedly recommend’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Absolutely brilliant . . . I just wish I could give it more than five stars! Got me from page one and I couldn’t stop reading till I found out how it would end!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stories of King Arthur book cover

Stories of King Arthur

1940

Blanche Winder
Sir Thomas Malory's book, "La Morte D'Arthur, comprises only some of the stories that were told and songs that were sung. Many of the stories in this book are not from Malory' sbook and are taken directly from other and earlier sources.
The Picture of Dorian Gray book cover

The Picture of Dorian Gray

1890

Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde’s only novel is the dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. In this celebrated work Wilde forged a devastating portrait of the effects of evil and debauchery on a young aesthete in late-19th-century England. Combining elements of the Gothic horror novel and decadent French fiction, the book centers on a striking premise: As Dorian Gray sinks into a life of crime and gross sensuality, his body retains perfect youth and vigor while his recently painted portrait grows day by day into a hideous record of evil, which he must keep hidden from the world. For over a century, this mesmerizing tale of horror and suspense has enjoyed wide popularity. It ranks as one of Wilde's most important creations and among the classic achievements of its kind.
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit book cover

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

1985

Jeanette Winterson
Alternate cover edition for 9780802135162 This is the story of Jeanette, adopted and brought up by her mother as one of God's elect. Zealous and passionate, she seems destined for life as a missionary, but then she falls for one of her converts. At sixteen, Jeanette decides to leave the church, her home and her family, for the young woman she loves. Innovative, punchy and tender, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a few days ride into the bizarre outposts of religious excess and human obsession.
Ich hätte dir gerne noch so viel gesagt book cover

Ich hätte dir gerne noch so viel gesagt

2026

The Winter Spirits book cover

The Winter Spirits

Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights

Susan Stokes-Chapman, Andrew Michael Hurley, Elizabeth Macneal, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Catriona Ward, Natasha Pulley, Bridget Collins, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Jess Kidd, Laura Purcell, Stuart Turton
From the creators of The Haunting Season comes a dazzling collection of never\-before\-seen ghostly tales. The tradition of a haunted tale at Christmas has flourished across the centuries. These twelve stories, authored by some of today's most loved and lauded writers of historical and gothic fiction, are all centered on Christmas or Advent, boldly and playfully re\-imagining a beloved tradition for a modern audience. Taking you from a haunted Tuscan villa to a remote Scottish island with a dark secret, these stories are your ultimate companion for frosty nights. Featuring new and original stories from Bridget Collins, Imogen Hermes Gowar, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Andrew Michael Hurley, Jess Kidd, Natasha Pulley, Elizabeth Macneal, Laura Purcell, Susan Stokes Chapman, Laura Shepherd\-Robinson, Stuart Turton, and Catriona Ward.
The Eternal Ones book cover

The Eternal Ones

2024

Namina Forna
The dazzling finale to the groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling Gilded Ones series. One girl holds the power to defeat the gods—but can she become one? Mere weeks after confronting the Gilded Ones—the false beings she once believed to be her family—Deka is on the hunt. In order to kill the gods, whose ravenous competition for power is bleeding Otera dry, she must uncover the source of her divinity. But with her mortal body on the verge of ruin, Deka is running out of time—to save herself and an empire that’s tearing itself apart at its seams. When Deka’s search leads her and her friends to the edge of the world as they know it, they discover an astonishing new realm, one which holds the key to Deka’s past. Yet it also illuminates a devastating decision she must soon make… Choose to be reborn as a god, losing everyone she loves in the process. Or bring about the end of the world.
The Never List book cover

The Never List

Free First Chapter

Koethi Zan
Download a free first chapter from this summer's most shocking, edge-of-your seat thriller. There were four of us down there for the first thirty-two months and eleven days of our captivity. And then, very suddenly and without warning, there were three. Even though the fourth person hadn't made any noise at all in several months, the room got very quiet when she was gone. For a long time after that, we sat in silence, in the dark, each of us wondering what this meant for her and for us, and which of us would be the next in the box. NEVER GET IN THE CAR For years, best friends Sarah and Jennifer kept what they called the 'Never List': a list of actions to be avoided, for safety's sake, at all costs. But one night, they failed to follow their own rules. NEVER GO OUT ALONE AFTER DARK Sarah has spent ten years trying to forget her ordeal. But now the FBI has news that forces her to confront her worst fears. NEVER TAKE RISKS If she is to uncover the truth about what really happened to Jennifer, Sarah needs to work with the other women who shared her nightmare. But they won't be happy to hear from her. Because down there in the dark, Sarah wasn't just a victim. NEVER TRUST ANYONE
Es lebe der Goggolori book cover

Es lebe der Goggolori

2026

Susanne Leontine Schmidt
Aura-Soma und die Chakras book cover

Aura-Soma und die Chakras

2003

Peter Michel
A Monster Calls book cover

A Monster Calls

2011

Patrick Ness
An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor. At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting - he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd - whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself - Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.
Educated book cover

Educated

2018

Tara Westover
A newer edition of ISBN 9780399590504 can be found here. Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her "head-for-the-hills bag". In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father's junkyard. Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent. Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home. Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one's life through new eyes and the will to change it.
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