Books Under £10

A hilarious tale of butlers, love and battles!Since the tender age of nine, Hayate Ayasaki has busted his behind at various part-time jobs to support his degenerate gambler parents. And how do they repay their son’s selfless generosity? By selling his organs to the yakuza to cover their debts! But fate throws Hayate a bone…sort of. Now the butler of a wealthy young lady, Hayate can finally pay back his debts, and it’ll only take him 40 years to do it.Ruka has thrown down the gauntlet! By confessing her feelings for Hayate and going in for a lip-lock, the idol singer turned manga artist puts our hero in danger of actually getting a girlfriend. To stop this unacceptable slackening of romantic tension, Nagi makes an offer Ruka can’t refuse. Now Hayate’s fate rests on the outcome of a manga-drawing competition between the two aspiring artists. Does Hayate have any say on which girl he ends up with? Ha ha, of course not.

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Loyalty, love, and friendships are tested as sorority sisters Scarlett and Vivi face the forces of hell itself in the thrilling conclusion to New York Times bestselling authors Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige's The Ravens duology.These sorority witches rule.After saving their sisterhood by destroying an ancient talisman, the Ravens, aka Kappa Rho Nu, vow to protect their coven at all costs.Newly appointed president Scarlet envisions a unified Kappa, free from the clutches of dark magic. But the presidency holds unforeseen pitfalls, risking Scarlett's own magic. Meanwhile, Vivi, now a proud Kappa member, stumbles upon a deadly form of magic entwined with their sorority's past and a vengeful demon.To safeguard their sisterhood, Scarlett and Vivi must confront the forces of hell itself and thwart a rival sorority set on unleashing chaos.

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This book is the latest addition to the Perfect Pocket Puzzles series. Take a well-deserved break with over 150 new codeword puzzles by internationally bestselling author Dr. Gareth Moore.This stylish book of puzzles is designed to help you unwind as you turn your attention to solving the addictive riddles. With over 150 brand new codeword puzzles to crack, this handy pocket-sized book helps you to refocus your mind, improve your word power and take a little time for yourself. Also available: Perfect Pocket Puzzles: Crosswords (9781789294187)Perfect Pocket Puzzles: Word Searches (9781789294200)Perfect Pocket Puzzles: Sudoku (9781789294194)Perfect Pocket Puzzles: Codewords (9781789296068)

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Can two broken hearts mend each other?Taking over the Flower Shed studio at Halesmere, Alice is looking to mend her heart through horticulture after the end of her ten-year marriage. She isn’t looking for romance, especially not with brash young tree surgeon, Zac.Zac has his own past he’s trying to move on from, and he’s only staying at Halesmere until the new year. But when their circumstances change in a way that shocks them both, they have to decide if they can share a future that already binds them.Will the magic of Halesmere work once more to bring love to two lost souls?A beautiful and heartfelt love story, for fans of Trisha Ashley and Heidi Swain.Praise for Starting Over at Halesmere House ‘A lovely, warm-feeling book with a perfect ending. Suzanne Snow really knows how to keep you wanting more.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘A happy, cosy, romantic, fabulous story that also hits on some difficult subjects … but Suzanne has handled them so sensitively that they help compliment the good times in the story. … The setting becomes a character in itself as it is so beautiful.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘A lovely, gentle, clean romance with beautiful descriptions of the scenery.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

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Bringing rays of happiness and hope, one page at a time.Packed full of sayings, quotes, personal mantras and oodles of positivity, The Little Book of Sunshine is the perfect tool to pierce through any gathering dark clouds. Celebrating the rejuvenating power of sunshine and the green shoots of hope it brings, this book is the inspiration you're looking for when you're in need of some summery vibes on dark days.With affirmations to start your day, news stories that will put a smile on your face and ideas to bring happiness to other people's lives, as well as some of the little things in life that give people untold joy - this is the silver lining you've been looking for.From the fragile beauty of sunrise to the majestic calm of sunset, the sun's rays nourish us throughout the day, bringing us light, warmth, growth and the promise of daily renewal. Who doesn't love to raise their face to the sun and bask in the glow? This cheerful, uplifting book is a little ray of sunshine in your pocket whenever you're feeling down."Keep your face always towards the sunshine, and the shadows will fall behind you." Anonymous proverbDid you know sunshine improves your sleep and reduces stress through regulating your melatonin levels; strengthens your immune system by increasing your vitamin D; and fights depression by boosting your serotonin?

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The fifth novel in the New York Times bestselling Witcher series that inspired the hit Netflix show finds Ciri trapped in a distant world and separated from Geralt and her destiny.After walking through a portal in the Tower of the Swallow, thus narrowly escaping death, the Witcher girl, Ciri, finds herself in a completely different world... a world of the Elves. She is trapped with no way out. Time does not seem to exist and there are no obvious borders or portals to cross back into her home world. But this is Ciri, the child of prophecy, and she will not be defeated. She knows she must escape to finally rejoin the Witcher, Geralt, and his companions - and also to try to conquer her worst nightmare. Leo Bonhart, the man who chased, wounded and tortured Ciri, is still on her trail. And the world is still at war.Translated by David French.

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Before he was Ciri's guardian, Geralt of Rivia was a legendary swordsman. Season of Storms is an adventure set in the world of the Witcher, the book series that inspired the hit Netflix show and bestselling video games.Geralt. The witcher whose mission is to protect ordinary people from the monsters created with magic. A mutant who has the task of killing unnatural beings. He uses a magical sign, potions and the pride of every witcher - two swords, steel and silver. But what would happen if Geralt lost his weapons? Andrzej Sapkowski returns to his phenomenal world of the Witcher in a stand-alone novel where Geralt fights, travels and loves again, Dandelion sings and flies from trouble to trouble, sorcerers are scheming ... and across the whole world clouds are gathering.The season of storms is coming...Translated by David French.

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Tilly dreams of having a pony of her own. One that only she can ride to stardom. Will her wishes come true when she joins Silver Shoe Farm Stables? When Nimrod the clever and mischievous circus pony comes to stay at Silver Shoe Farm, Tilly soon realises they have no idea what they have let themselves in for. Collect all 18 titles in this series of irresistible, uplifting and heartwarming pony adventures. Printed in a dyslexia friendly font and packed with up to date tips from three times Olympic Medallist, Pippa Funnell, as well as a helpful glossary and black and white illustrations on every spread.

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I'm Jen Brister: stand-up comedian, middle-aged adolescent, and mum. But not that mum - I'm the other one.'Hysterical, important, moving, wonderful' Sara PascoeConfused? Two years ago, my partner (a woman - we're not solicitors) gave birth to twins. (I know! Believe me, I'm still reeling myself.) Like every new parent, I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. Add 'gay' and 'non-biological' to the mix and what do you get? Not a weird box of detergent, but a panicked beige lesbian desperately googling, 'Will my babies love me?' at 3 a.m.A very funny, very honest look at parenting life, from IVF awfulness to crying over the pages of sleep training manuals. A perfect gift for any parent who feels they don't fit the mould of a traditional family.*LONGLISTED FOR THE POLARI PRIZE*'Damned funny. You'll find the pages of this book brimming with rich and wonderful proof' Hannah Gadsby'A side-splittingly honest look at the grim realities of same-sex parenting' Diva

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Most people know that ABBA (1972-1982) were a Swedish band who became one of the world's most successful pop groups after winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with their song "Waterloo." What, perhaps, they don't know is that they have sold more than 380 million albums and singles; that their name was chosen through a newspaper competition, where alternatives included Alibaba, FABB, and Baba; that their royalties from the Soviet Union were so big they had to be paid in oil rights; and that 3.5 million people applied for tickets to see ABBA at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1977. Biographic ABBA presents an instant impression of their life, work, and legacy, with an array of irresistible facts and figures converted into infographics to reveal the musicians behind the music.

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Jenny Windell is obsessed with murder mysteries, so when she discovers her estranged aunt dead at her country home, the stage is set for her own investigation. Worried that being the first at the scene of the crime will make her a suspect and ruin her inquiry, she flees. On the run, she befriends Derek Fenton, the dashing younger brother of acclaimed crime writer Archibald Fenton, and persuades him to join her in her attempts to solve the crime and outsmart dim-witted Inspector Marigold. An affectionate send-up of the classic Golden Age murder mystery, this charming comedy is A. A. Milne at his most delightful.

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The astonishing true story of the Scottish coal miner’s daughter who took on the Mafia-backed creators of the world’s biggest financial fraud and helped the FBI to convict them Soon to be a major Hollywood film directed by Scott Z Burns ‘In the 1990s, Erin Brockovich showed what a difference one smart, angry woman can make in a world that marginalized her. Jen McAdam stepped forward in our time to shut down a diabolical fraud that preys those most desperate.’ Scott Z Burns, Director (Contagion and The Bourne Ultimatum)As featured on the hit BBC podcast The Missing CryptoqueenJen McAdam was a victim of the OneCoin global cryptocurrency fraud, which stole an estimated $27 billion from ordinary people around the world. The evil genius of the scam was its target, society’s ‘unbanked,’ not wealthy investors, and it robbed millions of their livelihood and futures. The poor became poorer. The brutal plundering led by self-styled Cryptoqueen Ruja Ignatova defied all legal and banking barriers bamboozling financial authorities — until Jen McAdam fought back. With a £15,000 inheritance from her father, saved from a careful life in a west of Scotland mining town, Jen wanted to invest wisely for her family’s future and was enraptured by the possibilities offered by OneCoin’s promotional material and convincing endorsements from celebrities and financial institutions. They, like all Dr Ruja’s flamboyant promises, were bogus. Jen McAdam was the first victim brave enough to fight back and despite death threats and an intimidating campaign to shut her down, and through a debilitating illness, strived tirelessly for justice – for herself, her family and friends, and the millions around the world who lost everything. She created and continues to lead victims ’support groups and in 2023, as the OneCoin bandits were being punished by international courts, spearheaded a move to get financial compensation for the many whose life hopes were cruelly crushed by the Cryptoqueen. This is a true David-and-Goliath story. It shows us the power we can have as individuals, even when things seem hopeless.

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Meet the villains we all love to hate! The essential guide to more than 50 of the most villainous Disney and Disney Pixar movie characters. What makes Cruella De Vil so cruel?Why is Scar jealous of his brother Mufasa?Who are the troublesome toys at Sunnyside Daycare?© 2020 Disney

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With puffy stickers, activities and a press-out model to build, Animal Sticker Fun offers incredible value for customers.

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In this famous essay, late theologian J. I. Packer analyzes Scripture and the works of early Reformers to defend the truth of Christ’s substitutionary suffering and death, the heart of the Christian gospel.

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Why Do We Feel Lonely at Church? addresses the loneliness epidemic facing the church, encourages readers to pursue a life of fellowship, and urges church leaders to cultivate communities that reflect Jesus’s mission, ministry, and care.

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To mark the publishing centenary of Freeman Wills Crofts, ‘The King of Detective Story Writers’, this is one of six classic crime novels being issued in 2020 featuring Inspector French, coming soon to television. Anne Day is the new housekeeper at Frayle, the home of Mr Grinsmead and his invalid wife. To Anne’s horror, her intuition that something is very wrong in the house culminates in an unexpected death. With the police jumping to devastating conclusions, Inspector French arrives to investigate. With the narrative switching between Anne’s and French’s perspectives, giving alternately the outside and inside track of an ingenious and elaborate investigation, will tragedy strike a second time before the mystery is solved?

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To mark the publishing centenary of Freeman Wills Crofts, ‘The King of Detective Story Writers’, this is one of six classic crime novels being issued in 2020 featuring Inspector French, coming soon to television. Work on the widening of the Southern Railway’s route along the Dorset coast is halted when a man is hit in the path of a train. At the inquest, the tragedy becomes a dark and sinister mystery when a witness swears to seeing a man running away from the scene of the accident – a statement that results in the intervention of Inspector French. But when the apparent solution to the case turns into an even deeper mystery, French faces the most complex problem he has ever encountered.

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To mark the publishing centenary of Freeman Wills Crofts, ‘The King of Detective Story Writers’, this is one of six classic crime novels being issued in 2020 featuring Inspector French, coming soon to television. A weekend board meeting brings a jewellery firm’s accountant to the managing director’s impressive Guildford home. On the Sunday morning, he is found dead and is soon the subject of a murder inquiry by the local police. Meanwhile, Chief Inspector French is investigating the sensational burglary of half a million pounds’ worth of jewels from the safe of an office in London’s Kingsway. French must determine the connection between the theft and the murder as he embarks on a perilous chase to track down the criminals.

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Tilly hates her stepfather, Dave. He abuses her mother, but she refuses to leave him. Frightened for her own safety, Tilly asks to go into foster care and is placed with Cathy. Tilly arrives with a graze on her cheek and Cathy becomes increasingly concerned by Dave’s behaviour, especially when she learns he has been showering Tilly with gifts. While she’s busy looking after Tilly and trying to keep her safe, Cathy is also worried about her own daughter, Lucy. She has a very difficult decision to make that will affect the rest of her life, and Cathy hopes she makes the right choice. Perfect for fans of Maggie Hartley, Lisa Stone and Ann Cusack!

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On the island of Arcosi, dragons and their riders used to rule the skies. But now they are only legends, found in bedtime stories, on beautiful murals and ancient jewellery. Then servant girl Milla witnesses a murder and finds herself caring for the last four dragon eggs. Forced to keep them secret amidst the growing tensions in the city, she begins to fear that the island's ruler, Duke Olvar, isn't all that he seems. But how can Milla and her friends keep the eggs safe when it means endangering everything she's ever loved? Fiery friendships, forgotten family and the struggle for power collide as Milla's fight to save the dragons leads her to discover her own hidden past. Originally published by DFB in 2018. Cover art by Joe Todd-Stanton.

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'A heartwarming, emotional read... Perfect to curl up with on a winter's day' Liz Fenwick. Sometimes the end is only the beginning... After ten years together, Dubliner Carrie Nolan is devastated when she's dumped by Kevin Mulvey without even a backwards glance. But on reflection, she had been sacrificing her own long-term happiness by pandering to his excessive ego – well, not anymore! While Kevin is 'living the dream' with his beautiful new Brazilian girlfriend, Carrie seeks solace from a circle of mismatched strangers who need her as much as she needs them. Then suddenly a catastrophic sequence of events leaves Carrie unsure if there's anyone she can trust. How far do you need to fall before you realise it's never too late to start again? Perfect for fans of Cecilia Ahern, Jodi Picoult and Sheila O'Flannagan. Praise for What Happened to Us?: 'A heartwarming, emotional read... Perfect to curl up with on a winter's day' Liz Fenwick 'This delightful story will satisfy any reader longing for a happy ending to make things right' Judith Keim, bestselling author of The Beach House Hotel Series 'A story that stays with you long after you finish the last page' Rosie Hendry, bestselling author of the East End Angels series 'A thoroughly enjoyable story!' Love Books Actually 'I devoured this fabulous read' Sandra 'Another brilliant 5-star read for me from this author' Donna Maguire 'This is a wonderful uplifting character-driven story' Amazon Customer 'One of the best books I have read for ages' Suzanne 'I absolutely loved reading What Happened To Us?' Ginger Book Geek

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Chetna Maroo's stories have been published in The Paris Review, The Stinging Fly and The Dublin Review and she was the recipient of the 2022 Plimpton Prize for Fiction. She lives in London. Western Lane is her first novel.

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The fifth in the hit Italian crime series by Andrea Camilleri, Excursion to Tindari is a darkly comic detective story featuring Inspector Montalbano.Maybe a phrase, a line, a hint somewhere would reveal a reason, any reason, for the elderly couple's disappearance . . . A young Don Juan is found murdered in front of his apartment building early one morning, and an elderly couple is reported missing after an excursion to the ancient site of Tindari – two seemingly unrelated cases for Inspector Montalbano to solve amid the daily complications of life at Vigàta police headquarters. But when Montalbano discovers that the couple and the murdered young man lived in the same building, his investigation stumbles onto Sicily's brutal 'New Mafia', which leads him down a path more evil and more far-reaching than any he has been down before.Excursion to Tindari is followed by the sixth novel in the Inspector Montalbano series, The Scent of the Night.

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Never has Inspector Montalbano's character – a unique blend of humor, cynicism, compassion, earthiness, and love of good food - been more compelling than in Andrea Camilleri's third Montalbano novel, The Snack Thief. When an elderly man is stabbed to death in an elevator and a crewman on an Italian fishing trawler is machine-gunned by a Tunisian patrol boat off Sicily’s coast, only Inspector Montalbano suspects a link between the two incidents.His investigation leads to the beautiful Karima, an impoverished house-cleaner, whose young son steals other school children’s mid-morning snacks. But Karima disappears, and the young snack thief’s life – as well as Montalbano’s – is endangered when the inspector exposes a viper’s nest of government corruption and international intrigue.The Snack Thief is followed by the fourth Inspector Montalbano novel, The Voice of the Violin.

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A magical unicorn activity book from Rob Biddulph's amazingly popular Draw With Rob art activity series now for little readers!Gallop away to a land of clouds, rainbows and unicorns in this magical activity book from bestselling and award-winning creator, Rob Biddulph. Featuring fairy-tale castles, starry skies and enchanted lands, these pages are full of mazes, puzzles and colouring along with Rob's simple drawing instructions for creating your own incredible unicorns!Rob Biddulph is the genius behind the phenomenal, viral sensation that is DRAW WITH ROB and the accompanying activity books. The first DRAW WITH ROB activity book went to Number One in the charts and was named Book of the Year' at the 2020 Sainsbury's Children's Book Awards! Since then, Rob has continued to bring joy to families everywhere with his easy-to-follow drawing instructions and warm-hearted humour.

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Collective Winner of the 2019 Highland Book Prize Under the ravishing light of an Alaskan sky, objects are spilling from the thawing tundra linking a Yup'ik village to its hunter-gatherer past. In the shifting sand dunes of a Scottish shoreline, impressively preserved hearths and homes of Neolithic farmers are uncovered. In a grandmother's disordered mind, memories surface of a long-ago mining accident and a 'mither who was kind'. For this luminous new essay collection, acclaimed author Kathleen Jamie visits archaeological sites and mines her own memories - of her grandparents, of youthful travels - to explore what surfaces and what reconnects us to our past. As always she looks to the natural world for her markers and guides. Most movingly, she considers, as her father dies, and her children leave home, the surfacing of an older, less tethered sense of herself. Surfacing offers a profound sense of time passing and an antidote to all that is instant, ephemeral, unrooted.

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Twilight meets Gossip Girl in the filthiest, sexiest vampire book of the year by million-copy bestselling author Geneva Lee.Julian Rousseaux has a problem. He's single, and for the world's wealthiest vampires, the social season is about to begin. Julian would rather stake himself than participate in the marriage market. But as the eldest, eligible Rousseaux he's expected to find a wife before the season ends-whether he likes it or not.When cellist Thea literally stumbles into his life at a gala, he knows she's the last person he could ever fall in love with. She's too innocent, too kind, and way too human. But now that she knows about his world, she's also a walking target. She needs protection; he needs a fake girlfriend to discourage overzealous vampire matchmaking.So, Julian makes Thea an irresistible offer: pretend to be his lover and he'll change her life. For one year, they'll attend the season's social events together in exchange for his protection and a way out of her mother's crippling medical debt.She can't say no. But the vampire world is impossibly decadent and darker than Thea ever imagined, and Julian's filthy rich vampire family wants her out of the way. But with each moment they share, new dangers emerge: a desire as forbidden as their stolen touches, an awakening of a long-dead heart, and secrets that could tear them both apart.READERS ARE OBSESSED'This is my favorite book. I can say it without a doubt and with conviction. I will never stop talking about this, and I will not apologize . . . This is seductive. Alluring. Magnificent. I would die for this book. I need merch, special editions, everything' *****'I don't want this to end' *****'I don't know what to say other than the fact that I absolutely loved this' *****'Filled with lush danger, sensual possibilities, and a seemingly insurmountable obstacle for the protagonists to overcome. This story has some of my favorite romance tropes wrapped up with glamorous and utterly irresistible bows' *****' Thought about it all day at work, wishing I could be sitting at home so I could finish it . . . And then promptly came home and finished it. Such a great read!' *****'Sexy vampires meets Bridgerton, with a hint of Christian Grey. I couldn't read this book fast enough!' *****'Addicting from start to finish' *****

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Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. Why do we sign our names? How can a squiggle both enslave and liberate? Signatures often require a witness—as if the scrawl itself is not enough. What other kinds of beliefs and longings justify our signing practices? Signature addresses these questions as it roams from a roundtable on the Greek island of Syros, to a scene of handwriting analysis conducted in an English pub, from a wedding in Moscow, where guests sign the bride’s body, to a San Franciscan tattoo parlor interested in arcane forms. The signature’s history encompasses ancient handprints on cave walls, autograph hunters, the branding of slaves, metaphysical poetry, medical malpractice, hip-hop lyrics, legal challenges to electronic signatures, ice cores harvested from Greenland, and tales of forgery and autopens. Part cultural chronicle, part travelogue, Signature pursues the identifying marks made by people, animals, and planetary forces, revealing the stories and fantasies hidden in their signatures. Object Lessons is published in partnership with an essay series in The Atlantic.

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"[The book explores] how lives interconnect, how we are all creatures of our time, how rich and complex life is in this sometimes shy and reticent city. Not for a moment does our interest flag."—Alexander McCall Smith Set in 66 Queen Street, a townhouse in Edinburgh’s New Town, this book tells the story of people and events associated with the house for 210 years from 1790 and whose lives were empowered by the Scottish Enlightenment. From the builder of the White House, the hero of Aboukir Bay, a murderer who inspired Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, to a decadent society hostess, the diverse characters range from heroes to villains and from people of conscience to subjects of tabloid scandal and moral prurience. Edinburgh emerges from its past to become the intellectual, banking and professional capital of an enlightened Scotland. The story reflects how our modern world is shaped but above all it is about its people; some masters of their circumstances and others prisoners

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'A vivid, gripping story, beautifully handled, with a gem on every page' - Tracy Chevalier'Once again J.C. Harvey has cleared the high bar in historical fiction by a mile.' - S. W. Perry'Vibrant, twisting and compelling' - Minette Walters'Excellent writing, intricate plotting and masterful senses of place and time make Harvey's books compulsive reads.' - HistoriaSummer 1630. The Swedish army is fighting its way down through Germany, with Jack Fiskardo and his company of scouts, or 'discoverers', fighting the guerrilla war ahead of the main advance. There are new allies to be made, new perils to overcome, new enemies to outwit and new adventures to pursue; but there is also a fortune for the taking, a mystery to be solved, and a destiny to fulfil - one that will see Jack brought face-to-face at last with his sworn enemy, Carlo Fantom. And in the wintry forests of Bohemia, that destiny will present Jack with an almost impossible choice - does he pursue his final vengeance, or does he turn aside, to help a child as helpless as he once was himself?

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A gentle tale for pre-schoolers, introducing the concept of sharing in the playground from multi-award-winning author Michael Rosen and treasured illustrator Bob Graham.The new, reissue edition of a much-loved tale from two picture book icons.From former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen comes a simple and poignant tale of the power of sharing, with superb artwork by award-winning illustrator Bob Graham. George says the cardboard house is his and no one else can play in it. It isn't for girls, small people, twins, people with glasses, or people who like tunnels. But Lindy, Marly, Freddie, Charlene, Marlene, Luther, Sophie and Rasheda have other ideas! One by one each child is refused access until the tables are turned and George finds out how it feels to be on the receiving end. A topical and perceptive book that shows that it is much more fun to share.

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A colourful, comforting bedtime story by the award-winning and internationally successful author-illustrator Lucy Cousins. Follow Little Fish as he wishes goodnight to all his friends, from bumble fish to upside-down fish, before cuddling up with Mummy Fish for a lovely long night’s sleep. With beautiful underwater scenes and simple rhymes, this is a wonderfully soothing, lullaby-like bedtime story.

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Botchan is a modern young man from the Tokyo metropolis, sent to the ultra-traditional Matsuyama district as a Maths teacher after his the death of his parents. Cynical, rebellious and immature, Botchan finds himself facing several tests, from the pupils - prone to playing tricks on their new, naïve teacher; the staff - vain, immoral, and in danger of becoming a bad influence on Botchan; and from his own as-yet-unformed nature, as he finds his place in the world. One of the most popular novels in Japan where it is considered a classic of adolescence, as seminal as The Catcher in the Rye, Botchan is as funny, poignant and memorable as it was when first published, over 100 years ago.Translated by J. Cohn

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The heartwarming and moving story of three fascinating women finding their strength in World War II, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn, Call the Midwife and Downton AbbeyIt is June 1940, and as the bombs fall, the women at home must dig deep . . ._______Tucked on the edge of the Lake District lies Mary Vale, a Mother and Baby Home open to unmarried women and their children. But tensions arise when three very different mums-to-be walk through the doors.Plucky shipyard worker Gracie must overcome her shame when her lover turns out to be married. Newly engaged Diana's fiancé tragically goes missing in action days before the wedding, while isolated and bedraggled Zelda turns heads when she arrives from the ghettos of Germany.At Mary Vale, unity is key as the bombs keep falling.But can these very different women put their differences aside to fight a common foe?Praise for Daisy Styles'Will tug at the heart strings of readers everywhere. Wonderful!' Fiona Ford, author of The Liberty Girls'Well done Daisy for creating characters that are real women in the best sense. Funny, scheming, loyal and witty, but about all, hardworking and proud. An absolute joy to read' Kate Thompson, bestselling author of Secrets of the Home Front Girls'Truly endearing characters' Annie Murray, bestselling author of Now The War Is Over

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The eagerly awaited English translation of award-winning author Zhang Ling’s epic and intimate novel about the devastation of war, forgiveness, redemption, and the enduring power of love. On the day of the historic 1945 Jewel Voice Broadcast—in which Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender to the Allied forces, bringing an end to World War II—three men, flush with jubilation, made a pact. After their deaths, each year on the anniversary of the broadcast, their souls would return to the Chinese village of their younger days. It’s where they had fought—and survived—a war that shook the world and changed their own lives in unimaginable ways. Now, seventy years later, the pledge is being fulfilled by American missionary Pastor Billy, brash gunner’s mate Ian Ferguson, and local soldier Liu Zhaohu. All that’s missing is Ah Yan—also known as Swallow—the girl each man loved, each in his own profound way. As they unravel their personal stories of the war, and of the woman who touched them so deeply during that unforgiving time, the story of Ah Yan’s life begins to take shape, woven into view by their memories. A woman who had suffered unspeakable atrocities, and yet found the grace and dignity to survive, she’d been the one to bring them together. And it is her spark of humanity, still burning brightly, that gives these ghosts of the past the courage to look back on everything they endured and remember the woman they lost.

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'Wonderful. You finish the book more alive than ever to the enduring mystery and miracle of that thing that makes us most human' STEPHEN FRY'Most popular books on language dumb down; Shariatmadari's smartens things up, and is all the more entertaining for it' THE SUNDAY TIMES, a Book of the Year'A meaty, rewarding and necessary read' GUARDIAN'Fascinating and thought-provoking . . . crammed with weird and wonderful facts . . . for anyone who delights in linguistics it's a richly rewarding read' MAIL ON SUNDAY - A word's origin doesn't tell you what it means today- There are languages that change when your mother-in-law is present- The language you speak could make you more prone to accidents- There's a special part of the brain that produces swear wordsTaking us on a mind-boggling journey through the science of language, linguist David Shariatmadari uncovers the truth about what we do with words, exploding nine widely-held myths about language while introducing us to some of the fundamental insights of modern linguistics.

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The first book in the New York Times bestseller Middle School and Other Disasters series, witch-in-training Heidi Heckelbeck juggles magical mishaps and everyday mayhem at her new boarding school. Featuring black-and-white illustrations and doodles throughout and perfect for fans of Dork Diaries, The Worst Witch and Harper Drew!My name is Heidi Heckelbeck, my new school is magic and I am officially freaking out! Heidi is both excited and nervous to start at her new boarding school, Broomsfield Academy! She can't wait to start magical classes but her first day takes a turn for the worse when Heidi discovers her roommate (or "broommate" as they are known here) is none other than her old rival, Melanie Maplethorpe. Melanie is less than thrilled too, and the two find themselves engaged in an epic prank war. But when magic enters the mix, will the reluctant roommates go too far?Join Heidi and her friends for pranks, potions and magical misahaps in this bestselling series!

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Shortlisted for the Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature.In the summer of 2012, a team of six climbers set out to attempt the first ascent of one of the great unclimbed lines of the Himalaya - the giant Mazeno Ridge on Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth highest mountain. At ten kilometres in length, the Mazeno is the longest route to the summit of an 8,000-metre peak. Ten expeditions had tried and failed to climb this enormous ridge. Eleven days later two of the team, Sandy Allan and Rick Allen, both in their late fifties, reached the summit. They had run out of food and water and began hallucinating wildly from the effects of altitude and exhaustion. Heavy snow conditions meant they would need another three days to descend the far side of the 'killer mountain'. 'I began to wonder whether what we were doing was humanly possible. We had climbed the Mazeno and reached the summit, but we both knew we had wasted too much energy. In among the conflicting emotions, the exhaustion and the elation, we knew our bodies could not sustain this amount of time at altitude indefinitely, especially now we had no water. The slow trickle of attrition had turned into a flood; it was simply a matter of time before our bodies stopped functioning. Which one of us would succumb first?' In Some Lost Place is Sandy Allan's epic account of an incredible feat of endurance and commitment at the very limits of survival – and the first ascent of one of the last challenges in the Himalaya.

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Leading crime expert Christopher Berry-Dee gained the trust of some of the most infamous convicted killers, having corresponded with them and even entered their prison lairs to discuss their horrific crimes in detail. In this book, he presents six unforgettable prisoners and allows them to tell their stories, as well as giving the details and background of their terrifying cases - making this a must-read for aficionados of the genre and anyone fascinated by the extremes of human behaviour. Beyond the headlines, once the drama of the courtroom has subsided and the prison gates have been locked behind these killers for good, Talking With Serial Killers: Dead Men Talking allows the reader to get up close and personal with torturers, sexual psychopaths and mass murderers, to read the stories that are rarely heard and get the last word from some of the world's most pitiless killers.

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When Australian Mark Heyward decides to build a home and raise a family on the island of Lombok, east of Bali, he has little idea of what is to come. Riots and battles, mythical princesses, magical voyages, birth and death, love and loss – the story takes us into the heart of Indonesia.

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Next, I brushed my hare and put on my new pear of shoes. Mum painted her nails before we set out for the day. Join Banjo and his mum on what starts as a straightforward day out, only to have it upended by homophones (two words with the same pronunciation but with different meanings), turning the narrative into the delightfully absurd. Kids and adults alike will love this joyful new wordplay extravaganza from debut author Mel Amon with illustrations by international superstar Sophie Beer. The hilarious wordplay combined with delightful illustrations have kids ‘in on the joke’ from the very beginning.

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THE DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT OF THE MOST INFAMOUS STREET GANG IN AMERICAIn the 1980s, El Salvador was involved in a bloody fight for control of the government. To escape the guerrilla assaults and death squads many fled to the US. As a survival instinct, they formed a group called the Mara Salvatrucha Stoners, a relatively harmless social network bound by rock and roll. But later, as they brushed against established local gangs, the group took on a harder edge, selling drugs, stealing cars and killing rivals who threatened their territories. As authorities cracked down, gang members were incarcerated and deported. But in the prison system, the group only grew stronger.Today, MS-13 is one of the most infamous street gangs on Earth, with tens of thousands of members operating in a half-dozen nations and two continents, and linked to thousands of grisly murders each year. Through the story of former gang member Norman and his family, journalist Steven Dudley brings readers inside the deadly group.

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