Contemporary Fiction Books

Book SynopsisA keepsake collection of Lord John Grey''s shorter adventures and a spectacular addition to any Gabaldon fan''s library, Lord John and the Hand of the Devils brings these three unique novellas together for the first time.____________Lord John and the Hellfire Club marks the first appearance of Lord John outside the Outlander novels (and chronologically precedes the novel Lord John and the Private Matter). A young diplomat is killed in the street as he begs Lord John for help. Witnessing the murder, Grey vows to avenge the young man, as the trail leads to the notorious Hellfire Club and the dark caves beneath Medmenham AbbeyIn Lord John and the Succubus, Grey''s assignment as liaison to a Hanoverian regiment in Germany finds him caught between two threats: the advancing French and Austrian army, and the menace of a mysterious ''night-hag,'' who spreads fear and death among the troops. Acknowledging that he is unlikely to fall victim to a succubus, Lord John is obliged to contend with the marauding night-hag before the enemy arrives. This tale with a touch of the supernatural bridges the action between Gabaldon''s two full-length Lord John tales.Finally, in Lord John and the Haunted Soldier, Lord John is called to the Arsenal at Woolwich to answer a Royal Commission of Enquiry''s questions regarding a cannon that exploded during the battle of Krefeld (a central action in Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade). Accusations ensue, and Lord John finds himself knee-deep in a morass of gunpowder, treason, and plot -- haunted by a dead lieutenant, and followed by a man with no face.____________Readers love Lord John and the Hand of Devils . . .***** ''John Grey is my spirit animal. I am such a fan of this series!''***** ''My eyes couldn''t read fast enough!!''***** '' I enjoyed all three, once again became lost in the time period within seconds of starting to read....I don''t know how Diana G. does it!''***** ''I really, really liked this trilogy of novellas that were included in this book.''***** ''The insight is fascinating, interesting and favourable.''Trade ReviewMarvellous... it is a large canvas that Gabaldon paints, filled with strong passions and derring-do * San Francisco Chronicle *For suspense, endless twist and turns, and a picture of life at all levels, Gabaldon has done it again * Irish News *A blockbuster hit * Wall Street Journal *A triumph! A powerful tale layered in history and myth, at its core is a love so vivid and fierce... -- Nora RobertsAnyone who's read Diana Gabaldon's absorbing historical novels will relish her latest offering * Irish Examiner *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe new novel from the author of The Small HoursTrade ReviewI so loved this novel, its originality leaps off the page and it made me laugh out loud. Seldom has an exploration of raw, profound grief been so entertaining -- Deborah MoggachThis is delightful and as tender as an accidental bruise. Boyt's witty, zingy, ping-pong dialogue dances with Astaire-like flair - underneath it lies the darker depths of grief that threaten to draw all her characters down into the murky waters of loss. I found myself praying that the cork floats of hope were still firmly attached -- Tamsin GreigSusie Boyt has a unique perspective on modern life and close relationships, she is one of the funniest and most individual writers working today -- Linda GrantLove & Fame is so rich and insightful, and the writing is beautiful. Reading it will help you survive your own personality. There's a special sort of merriment in the book and such a feast of particularity -- Andrew O'HaganA book that manages to be both clever AND cheerful! Who knows if you're allowed to fall in love with characters in books any more (or again) but Eve is the most loveable heroine who has walked across the stage of English fiction for a long while. Delivered with wit and brilliance leavened with a sense of tragedy just off stage -- Alain De Botton[Boyt] is a ruthless skewerer of banalities and platitudes . . . Boyt tackles life's knottier questions - is it better to fight, or to respect, one's feelings? Can suffering be improving? - with feeling and verve -- Stephanie Cross * Daily Mail *Blissfully immersive fiction . . . extremely funny, with a brilliant ear for zippy dialogue and an eagle eye for delusional egotistical fops -- Jane Graham * Big Issue *Boyt's affection for her characters warms every page . . . she writes with such precision and wisdom about the human heart under duress that the novel is hard to resist -- Leaf Arbuthnot * Sunday Times *Insightful . . . a sharp, universal must-read * Emerald Street *Boyt's affection for her characters warms every page . . . she writes with such precision and wisdom about the human heart under duress that the novel is hard to resist * Sunday Times *The book is strewn with scenes of domestic intimacy. Boyt manages them with freshness and ease, filling them with the casual, affectionate mental shorthand and common points of reference that families share: jokes, people, or just a cat's demeanour. The sentences flip in unexpected ways, pitch perfect . . . sort of high-wire feat, a comedy about grief, loss and love in which the author doesn't put a foot wrong * Literary Review *This is a clever, wise, often sad book . . . Boyt is fiercely funny -- Laura Freeman * Spectator *Boyt's trick is to turn all of this into something surprisingly breezy, as witty as it is raw -- Stephanie Cross * Daily Mail *Boyt skilfully manages the delicate task of unpicking her characters' internal hopes, fears and sorrows without over analysing them. It would be easy for this novel to wallow in bleakness, given the subject matter. But perhaps precisely because of this, Boyt's humour shines through -- Zoë Apostolides * Financial Times *Susie Boyt's quietly elegant prose tackles the most grievous of themes - suicide, eating disorders and mental illness - with the most tender of touches -- Eithne Farry * Sunday Express *She writes sentences with the nuance of a playful Henry James, exploring grief with wit and wisdom -- Linda Grant * Observer *A funny and tender love story -- Sebastian Shakespeare * Tatler *A warm, witty and insightful novel about grief, anxiety and love -- Fanny Blake * Woman & Home *We are in the hands of a knowing writer with natty skills of listening and observation . . .[Boyt's] decision to trust her reader to grasp the torsion between the seen (often funny) and the felt (very often sad) establishes her characters as people about whom we do care -- Candia McWilliam * Telegraph *Boyt's writing really sings. In these scenes, there is evidence of a writer sensitive to human frailty, with a keen eye for important emotional details and a real skill at writing beautifully restrained, economical prose -- Hannah Beckerman * Observer *A novel of great emotional precision * Sunday Times *Witty, compelling and entertaining * The Lady *She's a wonderful writer -- Nigella Lawson * Stylist *She has a sharp eye for the humour in impossibly dark situations . . . leavens the misery with welcome shafts of needling humour . . . Eve and Rebecca in particular are beautifully drawn characters, their nervous fury leaping from the page * iPAPER *Susie Boyt's new novel Love & Fameis characterised by the individuality of her voice. She writes sentences with the nuance of a playful Henry James, exploring grief with wit and wisdom -- Linda Grant * Guardian *The literary equivalent of a trapeze act . . . wise and witty . . . seriously comic . . . daring and stylishly written * Glasgow Herald *Startling and witty - a delight * Image *A complex exploration of grief and the ripples it causes. Insightful and funny * Financial Times *Love and Fame has its own distinctive, witty brilliance . . . Boyt's light touch with darkness and grief is masterly. Boyt's delicate style, complex plotting and seductive observations . . . add up to an entrancing whole * Arts Desk *Yet what makes Love & Fame so memorable are Boyt's uncomfortably recognisable, if often funny, observations on marriage and family life, with particular reference to the not-always-noble inner thoughts of women. Impressively, too, she's just as sharp on the love that holds families together as she is on the hurt that their members can inflict on each other. In one of the obituaries that Eve reads obsessively, her father is praised for his ability to convey 'the good and the bad of things, deeply felt at the same time' - a verdict that certainly applies to Boyt herself in this terrific book * Readers Digest *To me, Susie Boyt represents the shady part of the Venn diagram between an Alice Munro story and a Nancy Meyers movie. Her books are wonderfully escapist - they're witty, romantic and almost everyone has a lovely house - but they also have a deeply affecting sadness to them. Love & Fame is a great glass-of-wine-by-the-fire read - save it for your next lazy Sunday * The Pool *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe brilliantly gripping new novel from the New York Times best-selling author of The Pilot''s Wife (an Oprah''s Book Club selection).''Long before Liane Moriarty was spinning her Big Little Lies, Shreve was spicing up domestic doings..She still is, as effectively as ever, this time with a narrative literally lit from within'' New York TimesHot breath on Grace''s face. Claire is screaming, and Grace is on her feet. As she lifts her daughter, a wall of fire fills the window. Perhaps a quarter of a mile back, if even that. Where''s Gene? Didn''t he come home? 1947. Fires are racing along the coast of Maine after a summer-long drought, ravaging thousands of acres, causing unprecedented confusion and fear. Five months pregnant, Grace Holland is left alone to protect her two toddlers when her difficult and unpredictable husband Gene joins the volunteers fighting to brinTrade ReviewAnita Shreve...writes with such care and knowing that it's impossible not to be consumed by her storytelling, her beautiful sentences always exceeding the sum of their words . . . Shreve is a literary talent for all, and this novel - up there with her award-winning The Weight of Water - is flaming good * The Times *Long before Liane Moriarty was spinning her Big Little Lies, Shreve was spicing up domestic doings in beachfront settings with terrible husbands and third-act twists. She still is, as effectively as ever, this time with a narrative literally lit from within * New York Times *Shreve's account of the fires is terrifying, and her portrait of a bad marriage almost equally so. Her recreation of post-war, pre feminist American society is a model of elegant restraint, deep feeling, skillful characterisation, and a richly evocative sense of place * Sydney Morning Herald *Like her sensational best-selling 1998 novel The Pilot's Wife, about a widow who discovers her pilot husband had a second family, The Stars Are Fire explores what happens in the secret spaces between married people...Masterful... lingers long after the last page is turned, like the smoke from a wildfire * USA Today *Delicate, poignant storytelling * Good Housekeeping *An elegant portrait of a gutsy woman bent on survival * Woman & Home *Precise, evocative prose brings the story's vivid characters to life...original and gripping * People *A compulsive read, this novel pulled me into an ordinary woman's life and made me care too much about her to put it down * Glasgow Herald *

Read more less

Book Synopsis★ Caldecott Medal Winner ★The book is a triumph, the definitive Noah''s Ark.—Publishers WeeklyWinner of the Caldecott Medal, an ALA Notable Children''s Book, and a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year, Peter Spier''s Noah''s Ark has been the iconic edition of this tale for over 40 years, in print continuously since its debut in 1977.In Spier''s imaginative retelling, readers witness the danger and the grandeur of the terrifying flood but also the lighter moments: Noah''s wife jumping on a crate to avoid the rats; Noah shooing all but two bees from a busy hive; and all the animal babies being born in the spring. It''s an illustration feat that''s both majestic and tender.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA murderer discovers his true nature from a talking infant, a samurai is frustrated in his attempts to meditate, and a dying man bestows his hat on a friend in these surrealistic short stories. Written by the father of Japanese modernist literature, the dream-like, open-ended tales offer thought-provoking reading. This edition includes a fine new English translation by a noted expert.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisReader, your life is full of choices. Some will bring you joy and others will bring you heartache. Will you choose to cheat (in life, the examination that follows) or will you choose to copy? Will you fall in love? If so, will you remember her name and the number of freckles on her back? Will you marry, divorce, annul? Will you leave your run-down neighbourhood, your long-suffering country and your family? Will you honour your dead, those you loved and those you didn't? Will you have a child, will you regret it? Will you tell them you regret it? Will you, when all's said and done, deserve a kick in the balls? Will you find, here, in this slender book, fictions that entertain and puzzle you? Fictions that reflect yourself back to you? Will you find yourself? Relax, concentrate, dispel any anxious thoughts. Let the world around you settle and fade. Are you ready? Now turn over your papers, and begin.Trade ReviewThis year I was very happy to discover Alejandro Zambra. His new book, Multiple Choice, brilliantly translated from the Spanish by Megan McDowell, manages to blend Oulipian poetry, funny-sad short stories and choose-your-own-advevnture -- Joe Dunthorne, Best Books of 2016 * Observer *To my mind, the best of what experimental fiction be -- Taiye Selasi, Best Books of 2016 * Observer *This is composition set in the key of fun - ironic, playful, sometimes bitter. The translation by Megan McDowell skims across the tricky terrain with grace and ease, capturing the comic absurdities and dark moments without any apparent linguistic stumble or pause... [Zambra has] a wonderfully seductive, ludic charm. Multiple Choice will be embraced by Zambra's devoted followers. Open-minded readers new to his quirky world could find it opening doors. Multiple doors perhaps * Spectator *Brilliant... funny... part philosophical parody, part satire, this is a highly original and poignant book -- Joanna Kavenna * Daily Telegraph *A masterful act of transformation that turns the reader into writer. Zambra gives us fragments, but he also gives us the autonomy to shore them up into something new: our very own book -- Chris Power * Guardian *Zambra builds an elegant structure out of the important elements of life-competition, pride, vigor, death, sex-against a landscape of political menace. Read his book and, as with all true art, you'll be left wondering what it means but feeling that you know -- Atticus Lish, author * Preparation for the Next Life *Multiple Choice is unlike anything I've ever encountered before. With his test questions and answers, the incomparable Alejandro Zambra creates verbal playgrounds for reverie, imagination, thought, and memory, and leads you through labyrinthine corridors in which you inevitably encounter yourself. Reading this book is a wonderfully disconcerting and unforgettable experience -- Francisco Goldman, author * Say Her Name *I loved Multiple Choice. I hate exams, but I've sat this one a few times already. I'd give it an A-. The minus for being too smart and getting the fuck away with it -- Stuart Evers, author * Your Father Sends His Love *There is no writer like Alejandro Zambra, no one as bold, as subtle, as funny. Multiple Choice is his most accomplished work yet, an apparently playful literary game you quickly realize is also deadly serious. This book is not to be missed -- Daniel Alarcón, author * At Night We Walk In Circles *As slim as Chile herself. As serrated and complex as her riddled coastline. There's so much to admire and enjoy in this dazzling little book -- Gavin Corbett, author * Green Glowing Skull *Brilliant... Like a literary exercise for the mind, but strangely fun to decode. Keep yourself sharp with one of the most interesting writers working right now' -- 19 Summer Reads That Everyone Will Be Talking About * Elle *When I read Zambra I feel like someone's shooting fireworks inside my head. His prose is as compact as a grain of gunpowder, but its allusions and ramifications branch out and illuminate even the most remote corners of our minds -- Valeria Luiselli, author * The Story of My Teeth *Falling in love with Zambra's literature is a fascinating road to travel. Imaginative and original, he is a master of short forms; I adore his devastating audacity -- Enrique Vila-Matas, author * The Illogic of Kassel *Zambra is the defining light of today's Latin American literature - an author whose cult is about to take over, the one we'll all be congratulating ourselves on having known about in the early days, before his deceptively slender masterpieces lay on ever American reader's night table. Multiple Choice is the most daring distillation yet of his inimitable, take-no-prisoners genius -- John Wray, author of The Lost Time AccidentsI loved Multiple Choice. I hate exams, but I've sat this one a few times already. I'd give it an A-. The minus for being too smart and getting the fuck away with it. -- Stuart Evers, author * Your Father Sends His Love *An experimental novella, written in the form of a multiple choice examination... Brilliant, innovative, beautiful - David Markson's Vanishing Point meets Junot Diaz's This Is How You Lost Her. -- Taiye Selasi, Summer must-reads * Guardian *A metatextual blast... the only real problem with this unusually pleasurable exam is that it's over far too quickly -- Roger Cox * Scotsman *[Multiple Choice] blends fiction and memoir and messes enthusiastically with form. It is funny, melancholy, surprising. It is silly at times, profound at others. Its interactivity will entertain you, and might just change the way you think about fiction -- Chris Power * Guardian *One of the books of 2016... Full of wit, spark, pathos and insight... Multiple Choice goes beyond all expectations in terms of originality... [It is] one of the most thought-provoking, original and rewarding reads of the year... [as well as] a surprisingly touching and immersive experience... Once I'd finished it the urge to immediately read it again [was] pretty much irresistible. It was even better the second time -- Jane Graham * Big Issue *Intriguing... [Multiple Choice] starts as comic wordplay but morphs gradually into a volley of melancholy nano-stories... inventive in form -- Anthony Cummins * Observer *Tantalising... Mordantly funny and highly arresting [...] with nods to that great Latin American experimentalist Borges -- Claire Allfree * Daily Mail *Zambra's field of enquiry overspills the historical and political. It spreads far beyond Chilean borders and slips the bounds of narrative to question the very idea of a single, correct and definitive answer -- Stephen Phelan * Sunday Herald *Original and deeply moving * Good Housekeeping *Slowly, but surely, the questions and potential answers reveal profound takes on life in Chile under the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet - both funny and melancholic... For all the plainness of the prose, read aloud this exercise and it almost takes the form of a sonnet. It is also heartbreaking -- Ben East * National *Zambra offers a series of vignettes - even short stories by the end - with multiple interpretations, or versions, layered on top of each other * davidsbookworld.com *

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘A thousand-miles-an-hour hoot.’ Esquire ‘Hilarious…and immensely moving.’ The New Yorker ‘A blast of satirical heat from the talented heart of black American life.’ New York Times White Boy Shuffle is Man Booker-winner Paul Beatty’s electrifying debut novel about teenage-surf-bum Gunnar Kaufman who is forced to wise up when his mother moves from suburban Santa Monica to urban West Los Angeles. There, he begins to undergo a startling transformation from neighbourhood outcast to basketball superstar, and eventually to reluctant messiah of a ‘divided, downtrodden people’. A bombastic coming-of-age novel that has the uncanny ability to make readers want to laugh and cry at the same time,Beatty mingles horrific reality with wild fancy in this outlandish, laugh-out-loud funny and poignant vision of contemporary America.Trade Review‘A thousand-miles-an-hour hoot’ * Esquire *‘A dazzling satire of the African-American urban experience’ * Guardian *'He won the Booker for 2015's The Sellout but my heart belongs to Beatty's sharp-edged debut… It feels even more pertinent today.' -- i newspaper

Read more less

Book SynopsisEdith Grossman, celebrated for her brilliant translation of Don Quixote, offers a dazzling new version of another Cervantes classicTrade Review“For most English-language readers, Cervantes is a one-book wonder. But these twelve novellas, newly translated by the virtuosic Edith Grossman, are a revelation to us. They are a feast for Cervantes’ admirers, and stand truly by themselves—witty, naughty, trenchant, smart, widely ranging, thoroughly modern and readable. Coming late in Cervantes’ life, they are a sly and mischievous and memorable adiós—just as we would expect.”—Richard Ford“Exemplary Novels spans nearly the whole creative life of Cervantes. . . . The book is like a summing up of Cervantes’s fiction, displaying its broad range of topics, characters, styles, and plots.”—Roberto González Echevarría, author of Cervantes’ Don Quixote (Open Yale Course Series)“It seems appropriate that Edith Grossman publishes her translation of the Exemplary Novels thirteen years after the printing of her masterful translation of Don Quijote, as it took Cervantes ten years to come out with his second part of Don Quijote. Thus the supreme English translation of the best novel ever written on this side of the galaxy both precedes and follows the colloquy of Cipión and Berganza, as the wise words of both dogs precede and proceed those of the knight and the squire on their painful search for the meaning of human identity.”—Carlos Rojas“Finally we have a worthy translation of Cervantes’s Exemplary Novels, the extraordinary follow-up to Don Quixote that enchanted generations of readers, but that has not been widely available to English readers in a version that approaches the sparkling original. Reading Edith Grossman’s gorgeous prose is like traveling to a far-off place, unearthing a hidden container, and finding in it a glove that slips onto your hand like a second skin.”—William Egginton, author of The Man Who Invented Fiction: How Cervantes Ushered in the Modern World“Edith Grossman is one of the best Hispanists in the English language world and an extraordinary translator. Her version of the Quijote, which appeared a few years ago, was unanimously celebrated, and the same will no doubt happen with this new version of Cervantes’s Exemplary Novels.”—Mario Vargas Llosa

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe classic book that inspired Kes, the famous film, now published as a Penguin Essential for the first time. Barry Hines''s A Kestrel for a Knave was published in 1968, and was made into one of the key British films of the sixties. Billy Casper is beaten by his drunken brother, ignored by his mother and failing at school. He seems destined for a hard, miserable life down the pits, but for a brief time, he finds one pleasure in life: a wild kestrel that he has raised and tamed himself.

Read more less

Book Synopsis**Summer Days at Sunrise Farm, the new book in the Animal Ark revisited series, is currently available!**Christmas has arrived in the little village of Welford. The scent of hot roasted chestnuts is in the air, and a layer of frost sparkles on the ground. This year, vet Mandy Hope is looking forward to the holidays. Her animal rescue centre, Hope Meadows, is up and running - and she''s finally going on a date with Jimmy Marsh, owner of the local outward bound centre. The advent of winter sees all sorts of animals cross Mandy''s path, from goats named Rudolph to baby donkeys - and even a pair of reindeer! But when a mysterious local starts causing trouble, Mandy''s plans for the centre come under threat. She must call on Jimmy and her fellow villagers to put a stop to the stranger''s antics and ensure that Hope Meadows'' first Christmas is one to remember. One thing''s for certain: this Christmas, there''ll be animal escaTrade Review'I really enjoyed this lovely romp through the glorious Yorkshire countryside...a really lovely summer read and the start of a promising new series of books which I am sure will delight readers' -- Jaffareadstoo'An adorable read [with] a real sense of village community' -- Bookworms and Shutterbugs'An incredibly lovely story' -- Rachel's Random Reads'A stunning, emotional, beautiful tale of friendship, love, and the importance of being who you need to be. I laughed, I cried, and I became completely ensnared, and I cannot recommend it highly enough - it really has got it all!!' -- Books of All Kinds'The romance, tragedy and drama play[s] out alongside some deeply poignant animal stories...an absolute must read for animal lovers and grown-up fans of the original series' -- The Book Bag'Just the right amount of nostalgia... wonderful and very poignant' - The World is a Book Blog -- The World is a Book Blog

Read more less

Book SynopsisA GRIPPING TECHNO-THRILLER BY THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF NEUROMANCER, THE THIRD NOVEL IN THE BRIDGE TRILOGY''With more insight, wit and sheer style than any of his contemporaries Gibson continues to patrol the nebulous zones that separate science fiction, contemporary thrillers and genuine literature'' Independent----- The Bridge, San Francisco, after the quake: Ex-cop Berry Rydell has been hired by Colin Laney - who is hooked deep into the network of things - to go to San Francisco and act in such a way that he comes to the attention of a certain unspecified individual. This, Laney promises Rydell, could prove life-threatening. And now Rydell''s been sent a package. Something that belonged to Laney, something that others with guns, blades and very bad attitudes want. And suddenly Rydell''s running, trying get to the old Bridge, the shantytown where a man can get lost, be forgotten and wait for the end of the world - whi

Read more less

Book Synopsis''AN EERILY PLAUSIBLE DYSTOPIAN MASTERPIECE'' Emily St. John Mandel, author of STATION ELEVEN''AN EXTRAORDINARY NOVEL . . . with echoes of The Handmaid''s Tale'' Cory Doctorow***SHORTLISTED FOR THE PHILIP K. DICK AWARD***From one of the most original new voices in modern fiction comes a startling vision of a world where you can get away with anything . . .Theo Miller knows the value of human life - to the very last penny. Working in the Criminal Audit Office, he assesses each crime that crosses his desk and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full. But when his ex-lover is killed, it''s different. This is one death he can''t let become merely an entry on a balance sheet. Because when the richest in the world are getting away with murder, sometimes the numbers just don''t add up.From the award-winning Claire North comes an electrifying and provocative new novel which Trade ReviewAn eerily plausible dystopian masterpiece * Emily St. John Mandel, author of STATION ELEVEN *An extraordinary novel that stands with the best of dystopian fiction, with echoes of The Handmaid's Tale -- Cory Doctorow on 84KAbsolutely breath-taking... An early and compelling candidate for best novel of 2018. Read it * Sci Fi Magazine *Another captivating novel from one of the most intriguing and genre-bending novelists * BOOKLIST on 84K *Claire North goes from strength to strength . . . A tense, moving story set in drawing from current political trends to present a draconian future similar to that of Nineteen Eighty-Four * GUARDIAN on 84K *Absolutely breath-taking... An early and compelling candidate for best novel of 2018. Read it * Sci Fi Magazine *[A] gut-punch of a novel . . . a story that is rare - one of those that is so good I didn't want it to end . . . Painted in shades of Fahrenheit 451, of Children of Men, Soylent Green and Brave New World * NPR *[North] demonstrates again that her imaginative energy is as prodigious as her output. * SUNDAY TIMES *Absorbing and timely; a book to wrestle and argue with, but first and foremost, to read * NEW YORK TIMES on 84k *84K is a furious, confrontational book that's extremely smart . . . .its energy is infectious and its ideas are fiercely provocative * SCIFINOW *This is a dystopian anthem for the modern activist, a warning of an all too near future and a wake-up call for anyone who believes justice should not come with a price tag. 84K is an important book but also a cracking thriller and a great bit of near-future speculative fiction. Quite simply, North's best book so far, and given how brilliant The Sudden Appearance of Hope and The Fifteen Lives of Harry August are, that is saying a lot. * STARBURST *North is an original and even dazzling writer, and fans of her work will enjoy this grim tale of capitalism taken to a terrifying extreme * KIRKUS on 84K *The truly scary thing about 84K is how convincing this dark, brutal class-divided Britain is * SFX (4 1/2 stars) *North demonstrates skill in creating a terrifying setting that feels rooted to the present day . . . Every aspect of life in Theo's Britain is imbued with a menace that feels both recognizable and urgent, and the decisions the characters make as a result feel uncomfortably real. * RT BOOK REVIEWS on 84K *One of the most distinct and compelling SF novels of the year thus far * THE TORONTO STAR on 84K *It's exciting to read a genre novel that's willing to be this bold with language . . . 84K opens with a simple "what if," but it quickly develops into a structurally inventive, sharply ob­served thought experiment about the gradual disap­pearance of our basic liberties and human rights * LOCUS *A fascinating look at the decisions society is taking now * THE BOOKBAG on 84K *North's talent shines out * SUNDAY TIMES *Claire North is a true original, a master of ingenious plotting and feats of imagination * Alex Marwood, author of THE WICKED GIRLS *Claire North's writing is terrific, smart and entertaining * Patrick Ness *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Peter, Peter, Pumpkin eater Had a wife and couldn''t keep her...''In this extraordinary, semi-autobiographical novel, Penelope Mortimer depicts a married woman''s breakdown in 1960s London. With three husbands in her past, one in her present and a numberless army of children, Mrs Armitage is astonished to find herself collapsing one day in Harrods. Strange, unsettling and shot through with black comedy, this is a moving account of one woman''s realisation that marriage and family life may not, after all, offer all the answers to the problems of living.Trade ReviewBeautiful ... almost every woman I can think of will want to read this book -- Edna O'BrienA strange, fresh, gripping book. One of the the many achievements of The Pumpkin Eater is that it somehow manages to find universal truths in what was hardly an archetypal situation: Mortimer peels several layers of skin off the subjects of motherhood, marriage, and monogamy, so that what we're asked to look at is frequently red-raw and painful without being remotely self-dramatizing. In fact, there's a dreaminess to some of the prose that is particularly impressive, considering the tumult that the book describes -- Nick HornbyMortimer's style, spare and singular, cuts through the decades like a scalpel ... Will Penguin's new edition of The Pumpkin Eater encourage people to look again at Mortimer? I hope so. She is so good. I can't think of a writer more attentive to emotional weather -- Rachel Cooke * The Observer *One of those novels which seem to be written with real knowledge of the brink of the abyss, taut almost beyond endurance * The Sunday Times *A seriously good writer * Telegraph *A subtle, fascinating, unhackneyed novel... in touch with human realities and frailties, unsentimental and amused... So moving, so funny, so desperate, so alive... [A] fine book, and one to be greatly enjoyed * The New York Times *In this, her best book, Mortimer employs a steely, sceptical firm-eyed prose, which pays readers the compliment of regarding them almost as collaborators * Guardian *The themes in this short novel are timeless. There are lessons here for us all * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe newest instalment in the phenomenal Night Watch series.The streets of Moscow aren't safe. Vampires are attacking innocent people, and the names of the victims are spelling out a message: ANTON GORODETSKY. Higher Light Magician Anton is one of the Others, possessed of magical powers and able to enter the Twilight, a shadowy world parallel to our own. Each Other must swear allegiance to one side: either the Light, or the Dark. But who is after Anton and what do they want? Anton's investigation leads him to a Prophet, an Other with the gift of seeing the future. Her horrifying vision heralds the end of all life at the hands of an ancient threat unless Anton can reunite a mysterious organisation known only as the Sixth Watch, before it's too late.Trade ReviewLukyanenko’s vision of a bustling supernatural world that’s just out of sight is just as wryly bewitching as it ever was. * SciFi Now *A satisfying end to the series, and one that ties up a lot of loose threads. * i *Supernatural fiction doesn’t get any better than this. * CultureFly, '6 Must Read Books for Autumn' *

Read more less

Book SynopsisPreorder Mhairi''s new novel YOU BELONG WITH ME coming soon!?You always remember your first love. Don't you?'I loved it! So funny and warm. A delicious read' Marian Keyes'Hilarious, warm and life affirming' Jenny ColganIt began with four words.I love your laugh. x'But that was twelve years ago. It really began the day Georgina was fired from The Worst Restaurant in Sheffield ( Tripadvisor) and found The Worst Boyfriend in the World ( Georgina's best friends) in bed with someone else.So when her new boss, Lucas McCarthy, turns out to be the boy who wrote those words to her all that time ago, it feels like the start of something.The only problem? He doesn't seem to remember Georgina at allThis irresistible new book from Mhairi McFarlane is the perfect story to escape with. Compulsively readable, absolutely hilarious and deliciously romantic, you will not be able to put it down.Trade Review‘I loved it! So funny and warm – a delicious read’ Marian Keyes ‘Wildly funny and wildly romantic… Another wonderful novel from an author at the top of her game’ Louise O’Neill ‘Beautiful, funny and heartbreaking’ Giovanna Fletcher ‘Funny and heartfelt, full of humour and wisdom, I absolutely loved it’ Katie Fforde ‘Intelligent, edgy and laugh out loud funny – a romantic comedy to love’ Sunday Mirror ‘The perfect mix of comedy, whip smart dialogue and all the feels’ Fabulous ‘Mhairi gets the mix of laughs, romance and serious emotional depth just right in this page-turner that stands out from the crowd’ S Magazine ‘Hilarious, clever and beautifully written’ Daily Mail ‘Fiery, feminist, fit, filthy and very timely … astonishingly good’ Harriet Reuter Hapgood ‘A warm belly full of joy from start to finish!’ Holly Bourne ‘Mhairi’s best yet: nobody does modern love like her, hilarious, devastating and real’ Laura Kemp Praise for Mhairi McFarlane: ‘An effortlessly brilliant read – will have you laughing when you shouldn’t and sobbing when you least expect it’ Giovanna Fletcher ‘Totally hilarious and wincingly real’ Jenny Colgan ‘Her best yet – write faster!’ Holly Bourne ‘No-one writes such wry, emotionally complex romantic fiction’ RED ‘The perfect balance of romcom and drama… the ultimate holiday read!’ GRAZIA ‘Warm, nuanced, compelling’ STYLIST ‘Intelligent and insightful’ HEAT ‘Sparky, smart, sore-stomach-laughing kind of read’ FABULOUS ‘Hilarious’ HELLO

Read more less

Book SynopsisSet in 1795, "Water Music" is the rambunctious account of two men's wild adventures through the gutters of London and the Scottish Highlands to their unlikely meeting in darkest Africa.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCalvino's dazzling post-modernist masterpiece combines a love story, a detective story and a sardonic dissection of the publishing industry in a scintillating allegory of reading. Based on a witty anaolgy between the reader's desire to finish the story and the lover's desire to consummate his or her passion, IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT is the tale of two bemused readers whose attempts to reach the end of same book - IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT by Italo Calvino - are constantly and comically frustrated. THE ARABIAN NIGHTS of our day

Read more less

A bitter-sweet tale of quiet lives in the small and apparently timeless world of mid-19th century Sicilian nobility. Through the eyes of his princely protagonist, the author chronicles the details of an aristocratic, pastoral society, torn apart by revolution, death and decay.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFICTIONS is perhaps the single most mysterious and extraordinary collection of short stories written this century. Influenced by writers as disparate as Lewis Carroll, Stevenson and Cervantes, Borges is nethertheless a complete original who can turn dry logical puzzles in to enchanting fables. The Pieces in this volume represent his most accomplished work.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Lara" is a powerful semi-autobiographical novel-in-verse based on Booker winner Bernardine Evaristo's own childhood and family history. The eponymous Lara is a mixed-race girl raised in Woolwich, a white suburb of London, during the 60s and 70s. Her father, Taiwo, is Nigerian, and her mother, Ellen, is white British. They marry in the 1950s, in spite of fierce opposition from Ellen's family, and quickly produce eight children in ten years. Lara is their fourth child and we follow her journey from restricted childhood to conflicted early adulthood, and then from London to Nigeria to Brazil as she seeks to understand herself and her ancestry. The novel travels back over 150 years, seven generations and three continents of Lara's ancestry. It is the story of Irish Catholics leaving generations of rural hardship behind and ascending to a rigid middle class in England; of German immigrants escaping poverty and seeking to build a new life in 19th century London; and of proud Yorubas enslaved in Brazil, free in colonial Nigeria and hopeful in post-war London. "Lara" explores the lives of those who leave one country in search of a better life elsewhere, but who end up struggling to be accepted even as they lay the foundations for their children and future generations. This is a new edition of Bernardine Evaristo's first novel "Lara", rewritten and expanded by a third since its first publication in 1997.Trade Review'Lara is a wonderful piece - extraordinarily beautiful - rich and evocative - fascinating in its span of time and continents. Like all the best writing, by the end I felt not only a little older, but a lot wiser' - ANDREA LEVY. 'A short, lyrical, vividly real novel-in-verse, dipping 150 years into the past to explore the family history of a British woman with a Nigerian father and English mother. It's funny, touching, informative, passionate and very easy to read. If you're tired of novels that all seem the same, this one's a complete original' - Daily Telegraph (Books of the Year). 'Adventurous, compelling and utterly original' - The Times on Bernardine Evaristo.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Welsh is brilliant at what he does... This is his most readable and memorable novel since Trainspotting'' Independent on SundayGlue is the story of four boys growing up in the Edinburgh schemes, and about the loyalties, the experiences and the secrets that hold them together into their thirties. As we follow their lives from the 70s into the new century - from punk to techno, from speed to Es - we can see each of them trying to struggle out from under the weight of the conditioning of class and culture, peer pressure and their parents'' hopes that maybe their sons will do better than they did. What binds the four of them is the friendship formed by the scheme, their school, and their ambition to escape from both; their loyalty fused in street morality: back up your mates, don''t hit women and, most importantly, never grass - on anyone.''His most ambitious, but also his most complete and engaging work to date... arguably, his Trade ReviewWild, brave and funny * Sunday Times *Welsh is brilliant at what he does... This is his most readable and memorable novel since Trainspotting * Independent on Sunday *His most ambitious, but also his most complete and engaging work to date... arguably, his best book * Times Literary Supplement *Full of incident, mad, crackling dialogue, attractively appalling characters and some of the funniest and rudest sex scenes I have read since Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint * Sunday Times *With razor-sharp dialogue, a powerful odour of ordinary desperation and an incisive understanding of what makes these men's friendship tick, Welsh is at the top of his game * The Face *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSinclair Lewis was an American playwright and novelist. Born in 1885, he received his bachelor's degree from Yale University in 1908 and published his first novel, Hike and the Aeroplane, in 1912. He published Babbitt, perhaps his most famous work, in 1922 and in 1926 he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his novel Arrowsmith but rejected it. In 1930 he was the first American to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. He died in Rome in 1951 and his last novel World So Wide was published posthumously.Trade ReviewFull of vivid satire -- Robert McCrum * Observer *Sinclair Lewis's wonderful demolition of the venal and pusillanimous nature of commercial America, Babbitt * Scotland on Sunday *A satirical masterpiece * Sunday Times *One of the century's most perceptive writers on working life * Observer *His view of America was mordant, yet it was also unexpectedly loving; there is a tenderness in all three of these books that catches the reader unawares, and imbues them with a humanity that makes their satire all the more penetrating. * Washington Post *

Read more less

Book Synopsis**A BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS BIG JUBILEE READ PICK**''A milestone in the campaign for racial equality'' GuardianIn 1945, Rick Braithwaite, a smart, highly educated ex-RAF pilot, looks for a job in British engineering. He is deeply shocked to realise that, as a black man from British Guiana, no one will employ him because of the colour of his skin. In desperation he turns to teaching, taking a job in a tough East End school, and left to govern a class of unruly teenagers. With no experience or guidance, Braithwaite attempts to instil discipline, confound prejudice and ultimately, to teach.''Moving and inspiring'' New York TimesWITH AN INTRODUCTION BY CARYL PHILLIPSTrade ReviewA book that the reader devours quickly, ponders slowly, and forgets not at all-Moving and inspiring * New York Times *E.R. Braithwaite's postwar novel about a black teacher fighting to win the respect of white pupils in a school in the East End of London is a milestone in the campaign for racial equality * Guardian *It is the noblest, most moving, least sentimental account of life in a modern school and of a teacher's struggles with his pupils and with himself that I have come across -- Michael Croft * Observer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSecond Pretty Little Liars novel about four best friends and the secrets they are trying to hide from each other. 'More glamour and intrigue than the OC' Elle

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe triumphant follow-up to PRIDE OF LANCASHIRE and STAR OF THE NORTH.Trade ReviewPraise for Anna Jacobs: 'Catherine Cookson fans will cheer!' * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *Anna Jacobs' books are deservedly popular. She is one of the best writers of Lancashire sagas around. * Historical Novels Review *Once again you have given us a story that has me hooked from the first page to the last. The characters are so alive that I am loath to call them characters, they are people - so real * Reader from Scotland on OUR MARY ANN *An exciting book of immensely brilliant character portrayal and a great storyline * Bangor Chronicle on OUR EVA *Another cracking read with a vivid insight into family relationships * Coventry Evening Telegraph on OUR EVA *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAnd Just Like That... 25 Years of Sex and the CityTHE ORIGINAL BESTSELLING NOVELWildly funny, unexpectedly poignant, wickedly observant, SEX AND THE CITY blazes a glorious, drunken cocktail trail through New York, as Candace Bushnell, columnist and social critic par excellence, trips on her Manolo Blahnik kitten heels from the Baby Doll Lounge to the Bowery Bar. An Armistead Maupin for the real world, she has the gift of assembling a huge and irresistible cast of freaks and wonders, while remaining faithful to her hard core of friends and fans: those glamorous, rebellious, crazy single women, too close to forty, who are trying hard not to turn from the Audrey Hepburn of BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY''S into the Glen Close of FATAL ATTRACTION, and are - still - looking for love.''Jane Austen with a martini'' Sunday Telegraph''The book that sparked a cultural phenomenon'' Oprah''Fascinating... hilariousTrade ReviewJane Austen with a martini * Sunday Telegraph *Hilarious... a compulsively readable book, served up in bite-sized chunks of irrepressible irreverence * Marie Claire *Fascinating... hilarious... welcome to the cruel planet that is Manhattan * Los Angeles Times *Bushnell is a deft writer, possessing a sly sense of humor and sharp insight into human behaviour * People *Bushnell's beat is that demi-monde of nightclubs, bars, restaurants and parties where the rich come into contact with the infamous, the famous with the wannabes and the publicity-hungry with the gossip-peddlers * Evening Standard *Intriguing and highly entertaining * Helen Fielding *The book that sparked a cultural phenomenon * Oprah *Bushnell is the modern flame carrier of an established literary tradition: that of American (usually New York) women writers depicting the rigid social and slackening sexual rules of a very particular American (and, again, usually New York) set through a mix of close personal knowledge and fiction... Compared with the hugely popular television series, the book is tough, unapologetic and jittery with anxiety... hilarious, hard-edged, delightful, harsh, elegant and fun * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBrilliant brothers Langley and Homer Collyer are born into bourgeois New York comfort, their home a mansion on upper Fifth Avenue, their future rosy. But before he is out of his teens Homer begins to lose his sight, Langley returns from the war with his lungs seared by gas, and when both of their parents die, they seem perilously ill-equipped to deal with the new era.As romantic Homer and eccentric Langley construct a life on the fringes of society, they hold fast to their principle of self-reliance. But they are mocked and spied on, and despite wanting nothing more than to shut out the world, the epic events of the century flow through their housebound lives as they struggle to survive and create meaning for themselves.Trade Review** 'Exquisite writing, an extraordinary story and a charmingly wry take on life and all its inconvenience * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *** 'Beguiling . . . Doctorow shows how each decade leaves a distinct thumbprint on the siblings, to the extent that one starts to regard them as an unwitting index of changing times in America at large * GUARDIAN *** 'The interweaving of the epic and the domestic makes for a fascinating read * DAILY MAIL *** 'Doctorow's work grants inner life to historical personages and revives the past in fine grained detail . . . like Doctorow's best written earlier books, Homer and Langley prompts one to question the purpose of formal punctuation, familiar spelling and * TLS *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third book in the multi-million copy bestselling No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency seriesThe one with the boy who might have been raised by lionsFacing financial trouble, the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency is obliged to move into the same premises as Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. And on top of her domestic complications with her fiancé Mr J. L. B. Matekoni and his adopted children, Motholeli and Puso, Mma Ramotswe faces several challenging cases. These include some unattractive behaviour among the contestants in a beauty pageant, and the perplexing discovery of a boy running wild, who smells of lion...''Charming, delightful, feel-good stuff'' Daily Express''Unalloyed pleasure'' Sunday Telegraph''Charming'' Scotland on Sunday''One of the most entrancing treats of many a year'' Wall Street JournalTrade ReviewCharming, delightful, feel-good stuff * Daily Express *One of the most entrancing treats of many a year * Wall Street Journal *Unalloyed pleasure * Sunday Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJoe Coughlin is nineteen when he meets Emma Gould. A smalltime thief in 1920s Boston, he is told to cuff her while his accomplices raid the casino she works for. But Joe falls in love with Emma - and his life changes for ever.That meeting is the beginning of Joe''s journey to becoming one of the nation''s most feared and respected gangsters. It is a journey beset by violence, double-crossing, drama and pain. And it is a journey into the soul of prohibition-era America...A powerful, deeply moving novel, Live By Night is a tour-de-force by Dennis Lehane, writer on The Wire and author of modern classics such as Shutter Island, Gone, Baby, Gone and The Given Day.Trade ReviewSo beautifully written and so sharp in its details and atmosphere that it's no wonder Lehane's books attract filmmakers with such ease * Irish Voice *Lehane's thrillers mix viscerally violent excitement with a thorough airing of ethical dilemmas * Daily Telegraph *Lehane is one of the great contemporary American crime writers * Daily Mail *Dennis Lehane's speciality is the fast-paced gangster thriller that's also a deeply felt novel. His latest, about a Boston criminal, doesn't disappoint on either count... I guarantee that all you'll be able to do is keep on turning the pages. The prose crackles with Chandleresque jokes, the narrative never flags and there's even a genuinely heart-stopping love story. In addition to all that, the book beautifully evokes the entire era of early Thirties Prohibition America * Readers' Digest *This is a book that should put [Lehane's] name right up there where it belongs, right up there alongside Doctorow and Dreiser * Scotland on Sunday *This is noir with added value: Lehane is terrific on family ties and at conveying the buzz of a city powered by immigrant labour of often dubious legality * Guardian *History is merely a backdrop in a story that seeks just to be exciting, sexy and atmospheric. The author's trademark combination of dark deeds, graceful pose and sassy dialogue ensures it succeeds * Sunday Times *Lehane's tough, muscular prose captures the era well; and his dialogue brings to life the inhabitants of its underworld * Spectator *This is not just brilliant period crime writing, but brilliant writing full stop * Independent *The crime writer's crime writer; with a spare, stark edge to his work that lifts it into the truly great clas . . . The gangster world is superbly evoked and the story is as tight and powerful as the trigger on a Thompson sub-machine * Daily Mail *Sophisticated, literary and barbed enough... it makes this book a sentence-by-sentence pleasure. You are in the hands of an expert. And you'll know it * Scotsman *Exciting, sexy and atmospheric. Lehane's combination of dark deeds, graceful prose and sassy dialogue ensures it succeeds * Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Travis series concludes with the fourth installment from award-wining author Lisa Kleypas.Wedding planner Avery Crosslin may be a rising star in Houston society, but she doesn''t believe in love-at least not for herself. When she meets wealthy bachelor Joe Travis and mistakes him for a wedding photographer, she has no intention of letting him sweep her off her feet. But Joe is a man who goes after what he wants, and Avery can''t resist the temptation of a sexy southern charmer and a hot summer evening.After a one night stand, however, Avery is determined to keep it from happening again. A man like Joe can only mean trouble for a woman like her, and she can''t afford distractions. She''s been hired to plan the wedding of the year-a make-or-break event. But complications start piling up fast, putting the wedding in jeopardy, especially when shocking secrets of the bride come to light. And as Joe makes it clear that he''s not going to give up eTrade ReviewShe's created interesting, spiky female characters who are all the more engaging because of their toughness. It's a proper romp that you'll finish in a day - Daily MailShe's definitely up there with Marian Keyes and Cecilia Ahern - York Evening PressA truly talented storyteller - Publishers WeeklyBoth heart-breaking and heart-warming, this story really does have it all . . . You can't go wrong with Kleypas for a rewarding and deeply satisfying read. This is one of her best yet - RT Book ReviewsKleypas is a gifted storyteller, and in Crystal Cove she brings us a hint of the supernatural to add sparks and sparkle to a beguiling love story which packs in some complex relationships and passion-fuelled surprises. Love with a deliciously dark twist . . . - Lancashire Evening PostA really engaging romance, definitely sexier than the previous instalments and the hero and heroine have quite a bit of spark . . . A great series about friendships, love and a little bit of magic - Book Chick CityIf you like easy-to-read stories with an American flavour, you'll enjoy this. - Daily Mail

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the author of BEFORE I FALL comes the first book in the remarkable New York Times bestselling trilogy about forbidden love, revolution and the power to choose.Trade ReviewFast paced and consistently poignant, this tale quickly becomes hypnotically addictive ... A thoughtful, exciting and moving story that reminds us just how important love is. Devour it, then go and give all your friends a big hug. * Heat *Crackling with tension, Lauren Oliver's follow up to DELIRIUM is as whip smart and addictive as her dystopian debut. * Marie Claire *A dystopian Romeo and Juliet story that deserves to be as massive as Twilight. * Stylist *Amazing, unputdownable! * Grazia *We're big fans of Lauren Oliver and this is the emotionally charged follow-up to last year's futuristic love story DELIRIUM. With echoes of Brave New World, we catch up with young heroine Lena as she attempts to survive in the dangerous Wilds . . . Now we just have to wait for the final episode in the trilogy. -- Bella on PANDEMONIUMIn the same mode as Suzanne Collins in her Hunger Games trilogy, Oliver, too, posits a feisty, physically able heroine, giving as good as she gets, in a fast-paced YA thriller: this trend is a welcome one -- Independent on Sunday on PANDEMONIUMThe new Hunger Games . . . We loved the first two books, and spring sees the publication of the final instalment . . . With a movie trilogy in the pipeline too, you'd better get reading! -- Cosmopolitan on REQUIEMLena Haloway's journey will have readers breathlessly turning the pages . . . A dystopian tour de force. -- Kirkus Reviews on REQUIEM

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestselling author of Great CircleJoyously good' DAILY MAILA ferociously clever comedy of manners' GUARDIANA wise, sophisticated and funny novel about family, fidelity, class and crisis' MARIE CLAIREA well-observed, hilarious, yet moving novel' WOMAN & HOMENew York Times bestseller and winner of the 2012 Dylan Thomas Prize and 2012 L.A. Times First Novel PrizeThe Van Meters have gathered at their family retreat on the New England island of Waskeke to celebrate the marriage of daughter Daphne to an impeccably appropriate young man. The weekend is full of lobster and champagne, salt air and practiced bonhomie, but long-buried discontent and simmering lust seep through the cracks in the revelry.Winn Van Meter, father-of-the-bride, has spent his life following the rules of the east coast upper crust, but now, just shy of his sixtieth birthday, he must finally confront his failings, his desires, and his own humanityMaggie Shipstead is a hugely talented young writer definTrade Review‘Joyously good’ Daily Mail ‘A ferociously clever comedy of manners’ Guardian ‘Shipstead’s sophisticated and summery debut more than lives up to the hype’ Independent ‘Distinctive and dazzling … The world has found a remarkable, humane new voice to explain us to ourselves’ Allison Pearson, Telegraph ‘A wise, sophisticated and funny novel about family, fidelity, class and crisis’ Marie Claire

Read more less

Book SynopsisCompelling, irresistible, feel-good read. Perfect for fans of The Keeper of Lost Things and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.'Quirky, clever and unputdownable' Katie Fforde 'An exquisite story' Liz Fenwick'Burns fiercely with love and hurt' Linda Green'I cried like a motherf***er' Shelley Harris'Intriguing and touching' SUNDAY EXPRESS'An appealing character with a fascinating hinterland' DAILY MAIL'A beautiful book' PRIMATHIS BOOKSHOP KEEPS MANY SECRETS . . .Loveday Cardew prefers books to people. If you look carefully, you might glimpse the first lines of the novels she loves most tattooed on her skin. But there are some things Loveday will never show you.Into her refuge - the York book emporium where she works - come a poet, a lover, a friend, and three mysterious deliveries, each of which stirs unsettling memories.Everything is about to change for Loveday. Someone knows about her past and she can't hide any longer. She must decide who around her she can trust. Can she find the courage to right a heartbreaking wrong? And will she ever find the words to tell her own story?It's time to turn the pages of her past . . .Praise for Lost for Words:'Loveday is a marvellous character and she captured my heart from the very first page . . . and her bookshop is the bookshop of readers' dreams.'Julie Cohen, bestselling author of Dear Thing'Loveday is so spiky and likeable. I so loved Archie, Nathan and the book shop and the unfolding mystery' Carys Bray, author of A Song For Issy Bradley and The Museum of You'Beautifully written and atmospheric. Loveday is an endearing heroine, full of attitude and fragility. The haunting story of her past is brilliantly revealed.'Tracy Rees, Sunday Times top ten bestselling author of Amy SnowWhat you are saying about Lost for Words:'Best book by far I've read this year''Sat in tears, stunned in silence . . . by far my new favourite book''I loved everything about Lost for Words''This is a truly magical book''Warm, wise and funny tale . . . with a dark and shocking twist''Could not put it down - absolutely, utterly loved it and hung on every word''I loved smart, spiky, sad Loveday and cried real tears''Will melt your heart and make you cry''Everything you could want from a book''One of the best books I have ever read''Loved this book. I laughed & cried & gripped the edge of the seat at times''A book you keep in your bag and can't wait for another spare 15 minutes to read some more''I laughed, I cried and, more importantly, I couldn't put the book down'If you loved Lost for Words, don't miss Stephanie Butland's next book, where Ailsa Rae learns how to live . . .Search for The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae (9781785764417).Trade ReviewLoveday is a compelling character, you love her in the way you love a cat who always scratches but you love it anyway . . . this book is quirky, clever and unputdownable. I really enjoyed it. * Katie Fforde *Loveday is a marvellous character and she captured my heart from the very first page . . . and her bookshop is the bookshop of readers' dreams. * Julie Cohen, bestselling author of Dear Thing *Loveday is so spiky and likeable. I so loved Archie, Nathan and the book shop and the unfolding mystery * Carys Bray, author of A Song For Issy Bradley and The Museum of You *Burns fiercely with love and hurt. A quirky, rare and beautiful novel, one you'd be delighted to unearth in any bookshop. And Loveday Cardew is a character who leaps from the pages into our hearts. * Linda Green, bestselling author of While My Eyes Were Closed *It is such a beautiful read and Loveday's voice is so compelling . . . an exquisite story that I couldn't put down. * Liz Fenwick *Beautifully written and atmospheric. Loveday is an endearing heroine, full of attitude and fragility. The haunting story of her past is brilliantly revealed. * Tracy Rees, Sunday Times top ten bestselling author of Amy Snow *What an absolute stunner of a book. I LOVED it and cried like a motherf***er. If you care about books (or humans) read it! * Shelley Harris, author of Jubilee *This book will warm and break your heart in equal measure! Loveday Cardew is funny and sassy, angry and loving, and she is running scared; she wears her scars deep within her and on the outside too. In Butland's consummate hands, the story of Loveday's past and her present is bravely told and is transformative. This is a must-read novel. * Claire Dyer, award-winning poet and author of The Perfect Affair *A beautiful, touching, moving, sweet treat of a book. Sad, intriguing, cleverly plotted, sometimes shocking, compelling read. I was with Loveday all the way. I absolutely loved it * Jane Wenham-Jones, author of Prime Time *I just finished. I can totally see why you fell in love with it. What a unique, beautiful novel that cleverly builds to a heart-stopping climax. Any book lovers out there would be mad not to adore the quirkily drawn character of Loveday who pulls you in right from the get go with her distinctive voice! * Tracy Buchanan, number one bestselling author of My Sister' s Secret, The Atlas Of Us and No Turning Back *Wonderful. So many beautiful one-liners too! * Ayisha Malik, author of Sofia Khan is Not Obliged *OH poor, brilliant Loveday. Gorgeous, gorgeous bookshop book . . . So, so lovely! * Sarah Franklin, author and Costa Book Awards judge *Loveday is an incredible character.Oh, the w riting . . .Vibrant, vivid, sometimes visceral;Engaging, funny, searing.Dares to mix prose and poetry seamlessly.Archie had me head-over-heels in love.You can't help but hurt w hen it's over * Helena Sheffield, author of The Art of Wearing Hats *I loved it! Spent all day today engrossed in Loveday . . . a superbly drawn character. * Alex Gray, bestselling author of The Darkest Goodbye *I very quickly fell in love with the protagonist, Loveday Cardew...This is a story about hurt and self-preservation but above all else love... * Boofs Books *I enjoyed Lost For Words; I found it readable, humane and rather perceptive...it's so well done that it felt very fresh and involving to me. Loveday's narrative voice is authentic and very engaging...it is intelligent and thoughtful and almost entirely without implausible sentimentality. There is a distinct whiff of a Richard Curtis film about the plot...I found it genuinely funny in places and very touching in others...an engaging and quite gripping read which I can recommend. * Sid's Book Reviews *Love at first word! Fascinating. Truly fascinating and spectacular * Articles and More *A wonderful read for a holiday or weekend. It's a great, immersive read with a big heart. What more could you want? * Hannah Bullimore *I found myself faced with the question of how much you can hold a mentally ill person accountable for their violent tendencies, and how do you measure whether its their illness or just their evil? If you're looking for a light read with a dark twist I'd recommend Lost for Words. It was a comfort read for me, especially because of the familiarity that comes from a bookish protagonist. * Sumaiyya Reads *This is the perfect read for any bookworm... The story is warm, effortless, and comfortable. Most of all, it was lovely to be able to connect to a character that felt exactly the same way about books as you do....Read this book. Even if you think this 'might not be your thing' like I did, give it a chance. You might just have found your new favourite book. * A Literary Mind *I have a fatal weakness for books set in bookshops and whimsical heroines for Lost For Words pushes all my bookish buttons. Loveday Cardew infinitely prefers books to people; she works in a second-hand bookshop called Lost For Words and has her favourite lines from her favourite novels tattooed on her skin. But then mysterious packages begin to arrive for Loveday, each one containing a book that stirs up unsettling memories for her, especially as someone seems to know the secret that Loveday has been hiding for so many years. * Red Magazine *I loved so many things about this book. It is narrated by the most appealing heroine named Loveday. Loveday is a fantastic character, defensive and spirited...a brilliant story about surviving, and full of hope. I loved this author's way with words and her astute observations. It is is surprising, affecting and beautifully finished but the main thing is that it is brilliant and I suspect my voice will be one of many shouting about how good it is. * Kitty Loves Books *This book is beautiful * Prima magazine *'A beautiful book' * Prima magazine *Lost for Words is a book I adored. It's full of warmth with wonderful characters and it's full of the magic and power of books. If you love books set in bookshops, you'll love it. If you love books about damaged people learning to love again, you'll love it. If you love books with quirky characters, you'll love it. In fact, if you love any beautifully written story, you'll love Lost For Words! * Portobello Book Blog *Fierce, tender, quirky, well-written - Lost for Words is all this and more. There's much to love in this book, but what really makes it stand out is its appeal for readers who don't just read books but adore them: the bookstagrammers, the paperback hoarders, the page sniffers. * the Book Specialist *The past is handled so very well, and makes the present scenes very understandable and real. As I said, by the time I got to the last few chapters I was invested enough to be teary about it all. * Little Frog Scribbles *I could gush for hours about Lost For Words; the setting, the characters, the quite dark and disturbing themes...I'd just like everyone to go out and buy a copy and savour it and love it as much as I did. I expect most people will shed a tear or two, and I know that there will be laughs and gasps along the way too. This really is a poignant and beautiful story, told by an author who can captivate an audience so easily. Wonderful. Highly recommended from me. * Random Things Through My Letterbox *Oh how I adored this book. I loved everything about it. The only thing wrong with it was that I could have read another 100 pages. This is a novel that is an ode to the written word, to the beauty of poetry and the solace that books can provide. But it is not just a celebration of books. It is a novel about how our history shapes us, but doesn't have to define us. It is a novel about love, in its many guises, of friendship and of how we can always re-write our own story. Simply beautiful. * From First Page To Last *I truly liked Loveday, Nathan and Archie. I wanted to unwrap Loveday's past and find out what keeps her so guarded and untrusting. A wonderful, heartfelt story that pulls on your heart strings and leaves you bereft when finishing it. I could have read on after the book finished, I'm still hungry for more. * Lip Squid Book Blog *LOST FOR WORDS by Stephanie Butland is such a heartbreaking story...the author perfectly portrays the significance that a book can play in someone's life - the memories they invoke, the connection they can make with the reader, the emotions, the dreams, just everything...a must read for fiction fans everywhere, but especially for those who find books their connection to the world. A beautiful, all-consuming read! * Books of All Kinds *And oh, how I absolutely loved it. I was completely drawn in from the beginning, loosing track of what was going on around me and completely involved in Loveday's story. Seriously, I can't remember the last time I cared for a fictional character as much as I did this one. It made me laugh and cry, it's both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and it's sad yet filled with hope. And I guarantee you will fall in love with Loveday Cardew too. * Cosy Books *this is a story with a mystery at its heart, that deals with some hard-hitting subjects... heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure with more than one heart stopping moment. I have no hesitation in recommending this book, it is quite simply brilliant. * Jill's Book Cafe *Lost For Words is that rare thing . . . a warm, wise and funny tale of our times with a dark and shocking twist . . . truly is a book lover's dream . . . an intriguing story set in an irresistibly charming bookshop, packed with literary references, featuring a cast of eclectic characters and with a gripping and unexpected dénouement guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats. * Lancashire Evening Post *Intriguing and touching story * Sunday Express, S Magazine *an easy, breezy read... Loveday is an appealing character with a fascinating hinterland. * Daily Mail *I enjoyed reading this story. The premise is a good one, the ending was heartfelt and I loved the poetry included as part of what helps brings two people together in this story. * Layered Pages *Yes, I really loved everything about this novel and it's one of my favourite releases of 2017 so far. All in all, 'Lost for Words' is a compelling and lovely read that will warm your heart and leave you with a smile on your face. If you love books about book shops, then definitely do not miss out on this one! * A Spoonful of Happy Endings *I'm just going to go ahead and say, if you love books, read this one. Seriously it's beautiful and sweet and comforting and heartbreaking. * Is this Real Life *BOOK OF THE MONTH: Loveday Cardew is a quirky, fiery, likeable character who works at the Lost for Words Bookshop in York. Preferring books to people, she keeps the memories of her painful childhood to herself, hiding her scars deep within her. Warm and spiky, beautifully written and plotted, you'll be swept along by the bitter-sweet storyline to the very end. * Candis Magazine *Oh, wow. Just...wow... Butland has created such an unforgettable character...To create ONE storyline full of endless emotions, good memories and bad memories, multiple layered characters, AND an exceptional plot and setting, is just...mind-blowing. Stephanie Butland's outstanding writing style is what makes this storyline stand out from the rest, alongside her beautiful creation that is; Loveday. Poignant, heart warming, and totally unforgettable; 'Lost for Words' is the soul-searching, exceptional novel that I have been waiting for. * The Writing Garnet *If you like something more than just romance in your chick-lit then maybe Loveday's story is one for you. * Shhh we're reading *There was so much more to this story than I was expecting and I loved how it took me as a reader on a roller-coaster of emotions - I may have shed a few tears! The supporting cast of characters are also beautifully created and add so much to the story of Loveday and it captured my heart as I followed her story. * Books and Me *'As soon as I read the first few pages though I realized that this book was something special. In fact, I would say it is a book lover's dream, with endless references to all our favorite books, charming and really interesting characters and the perfect setting, a bookshop full of rarities, surprises and secrets... All in all, I cannot recommend this story enough. It had been a while since I had felt so involved in a story like this one. It is inspiring but heat-breaking, a real gem of a book that I have no doubt will be on my top ten books of the year.' * Alba In Bookland *My favorite thing about Lost for Words was how powerful some scenes were... This book is not a fast read, but then again neither is one of my favorite books of all time...Not all books have to be, when the author can find the right pace and divulge the inner workings of their characters in the proper moment. * The Hermit Librarian *'This is a lovely book with an endearing main character who we care for as she slowly takes us through her history. The book is beautifully written with its theme of how the past can affect the present if we let it. It deserves to be a best seller.' * The Yorkshire Gazette and Herald *If you are looking for a book set in a bookshop with a mix of romance, drama and action then I'd definitely encourage you to pick up this book ASAP! * A Cup of Wonderland *if you're looking for something that you can get lost in Lost for Words is for you, definitely recommend it! I'm looking forward to reading more books by Stephanie Butland. * Always on the Road *Stephanie Butland has a stunning writing style and I enjoyed every single sentence of Lost for Words. The book is a true treasure, it's fabulously written, delightfully interesting and absolutely spellbinding. I loved the story from beginning to end, every chapter is exactly as it should be. The story has plenty of emotional layers, the main characters are easy to love or hate, depending on their role, and I effortlessly got lost in Loveday's world and never wanted to put the novel down again. I highly recommend this brilliant book * With Love For Books *contained within the cover is a very addictive story. So addictive that I almost burnt the evening meal and drank several forgotten about cold cups of coffee, this was my commitment to reading this book. I would highly recommend this book to people who like a heartbreaking and heartwarming contemporary fiction read * VonnieBee *This book is sure to make you laugh and cry in equal measure (although maybe cry just a little bit more) * Buzzfeed *What's not to love about a story set in a bookstore in York with a heroine named Loveday Cardew? It's charming and sweet but also very intense with some deeper and darker themes than you'd first expect. * 1 girl 2 many books, top books of 2017 *A first class book * Mike Finn's Fiction *I was delighted to read about a care experienced character who was intelligent, articulate, a lover of words and books and of course feisty, vulnerable and not a stereotype. * Care Leavers in Fiction *You know that rare feeling when you slip into a character's skin and become them, feel their feelings and see the story through their eyes? That's how Loveday felt for me. It's always so amazing when you stumble across a book which is not only a great story which holds your attention but makes you feel all the feels too. * Life Has a Funny Way *In one way, Lost for Words is a book about books and the power and influence they have in many people's lives but it is also a book about love and hope. Stephanie Butland has written a beautiful book that I urge you to read. * Dot Scribbles *A joy * Sainsbury's Magazine *Darker than expected novel about domestic violence, with a surprisingly different and complex protagonist, a realistic romance, a bit of a mystery, and a bookshop! * Your Heroine Reads *lots to love... this book is a delight * Book Myopia *the further I read, the more Loveday allowed me in to her life, thoughts and memories, and the more enchanted I became with her individuality * Bookshine and Readbows *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first novel from the Orange Prize-winning author of We Need to Talk about Kevin is a compelling and provocative story of love and how we suffer for it.Still unattached and childless at fifty-nine, world-renowned anthropologist Gray Kaiser is seemingly invincibleand untouchable. Returning to make a documentary at the site of her first great triumph in Kenya, she is accompanied by her faithful middle-aged assistant, Errol McEchern, who has loved her for years in silence.When young graduate assistant Raphael Sarasola arrives on the scene, Gray is captivated and falls hopelessly in lovebefore an amazed Errol''s eyes. As he follows their affair with jealous fascination, Errol watches helplessly from the sidelines as a proud and fierce woman is reduced to miserable dependence through miserable dependence.Trade Review‘Terrific - a provocative tale of devotion, suffering, and other familiar accoutrements of love’ PEOPLE Praise for Lionel Shriver: ‘One of the most magnetically compelling writers working today. Witty, caustic and worldly’ WALL STREET JOURNAL ‘A brilliant writer. She has a strong, clear and strangely seductive voice. The characters are strong . . . so moving it will make you want to gasp or cry’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘Shriver is an incisive social satirist with a clear grip on the ironies of our contemporary age’LA Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first thriller in the New York Times No.1 bestselling series featuring Penn Cage: a prosecutor in a corrupt system, a husband whose wife has died, and a father who must protect his daughter. An engrossing, page-turning ride' (Jeffery Deaver).Don't say a wordNatchez, Mississippi. A city of old money and older sins. A place where a thirty-year-old crime lies buried, and everyone plays the quiet game. But one man cannot stay silent.Returning to his hometown, former prosecuting attorney Penn Cage is stunned to discover that his father is being blackmailed over a decades-old murder.Negotiating the town's undercurrents of greed, corruption, and racial tension, Penn uncovers a powerful secret that reaches to the highest levels of government.And as the town closes ranks, Penn realises that his crusade for justice has taken a dangerous turn one which could cost him his lifeTrade ReviewPraise for Greg Iles: ‘A scorching read’ John Grisham ‘Iles is a phenomenal thriller writer’ Independent on Sunday ‘An engrossing page-turning ride’ Jeffery Deaver ‘A rarity. A thriller that really thrills’ Stephen King ‘Alarming, believable, and utterly consuming’ Dan Brown ‘Splendidly creepy … compulsive’ Daily Telegraph ‘An incredible web of intrigue and suspense, an avalanche of action from first page to last’ Clive Cussler

Read more less

Book SynopsisA group of squatters rebel against Mrs Thatcher and erupt into violence in this politicised novel from the author of The Golden Notebook'.In a London squat a band of bourgeois revolutionaries are united by a loathing of the waste and cruelty they see around them. These maladjusted malcontents try desperately to become involved in terrorist activities far beyond their level of competence. Only Alice seems capable of organising anything. Motherly, practical and determined, she is also easily exploited by the group and ideal fodder for a more dangerous and potent cause. Eventually their naïve radical fantasies turn into a chaos of real destruction, but the aftermath is not as exciting as they had hoped. Nonetheless, while they may not have changed the world, their lives will never be the same againTrade Review‘In “The Good Terrorist” we are in the world of the subsidized sub-culture of the Marxist groupuscules of contemporary Britain…Lessing has a wit, an indignation and a narrative agility which leave few left-wing sacred cows unscathed…hugely enjoyable.’ Sunday Times ‘Doris Lessing writes about the parts other novelists cannot reach. This is a totally absorbing, subtly observed, complicated and stimulating novel.’ Observer ‘“The Good Terrorist” is a work of acute intelligence, incisive and compelling…it shows Doris Lessing at her mature best.’ Listener Praise for Doris Lessing: ‘Doris Lessing has changed the way we think about the world.’ Blake Morrison ‘Thank goodness for Doris Lessing. While the rest of us flounder about noisily in the muddy waters of life, she never fails to expose with startling clarity the essential folly of our dreams and good intentions.’ Kate Chisholm, Evening Standard ‘She’s up there in the pantheon with Balzac and George Eliot. We’re lucky she’s still writing.’ Lisa Appignanesi, Independent

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn her second volume of short stories, which follows the hugely successful ''Encounters'', Barbara Erskine has created a compelling world of love, betrayal, suspense and grief.A biographer investigating a tragic death hears voices from the past drawing her towards the truthA nineteenth century parson's daughter is caught up in the excitement and romance of a smuggling intrigueA young boy from a deprived background finds his own haven in the wastelands of the inner cityContemporary, historical, spooky, and humorous there are over thirty delightful stories, each one guaranteed to capture the reader's imagination, and all demonstrating Barbara Erskine's unique powers as a storyteller.Readers LOVE Barbara Erskine:Atmospheric' ?????Enthralling' ?????Spellbinding' ?????Another fabulous read from the mistress of the genre' ?????Immensely and deeply immersive fiction' ?????I loved every minute' ?????An exceptional writer of great books' ?????You can rely on this author to keep you wanting morTrade ReviewPraise for Barbara Erskine: ‘Her forte is mood, atmosphere and the toe-curling frisson’, Sunday Times ‘Barbara Erskine’s storytelling talent is undeniable’ The Times ‘Marvellous, escapist stuff’ Woman and Home

Read more less

Book SynopsisAuthor, dramatist and satirist, Nikolai Gogol deeply influenced later Russian literature with his powerful depictions of a society dominated by petty bureaucracy and base corruption. This volume includes both his most admired short fiction and his most famous drama. A biting and frequently hilarious political satire, The Government Inspector has been popular since its first performance and was regarded by Nabokov as the greatest Russian play every written. The stories gathered here, meanwhile, range from comic to tragic and describe the isolated lives of low-ranking clerks, lunatics and swindlers. They include Diary of a Madman, an amusing but disturbing exploration of insanity; Nevsky Prospect, a depiction of an artist besotted with a prostitute; and The Overcoat, a moving consideration of poverty that powerfully influenced Dostoevsky and later Russian literature.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking wTable of ContentsThe Diary of a Madman, The Government Inspector, and Selected StoriesChronologyIntroductionFurther ReadingTable of RanksIvan Fyodorovich Shponka and His AuntHow Ivan Ivanovich Quarrelled with Ivan NikiforovichNevsky ProspektThe NoseThe OvercoatDiary of a MadmanThe CarriageThe Government InspectorPublishing History and Notes

Read more less

Book Synopsis'BLISTERING' THE TIMES * 'EXTRAORDINARY' FINANCIAL TIMES *Winner of the New York City Book Award for Fiction* *Finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Fiction* New York Times Best of 2014 Wall Street Journal's Best of 2014 Vanity Fair's Best of 2014 Publishers Weekly's Best of 2014 BuzzFeed's Best of 2014 New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2015 Set in the underbelly of New York, Preparation for the Next Life exposes an America as seen from the fringes of society and, in devastating detail, destroys the myth of the American Dream through two of the most remarkable characters in contemporary fiction. Powerful, realistic and raw, this is one of the most ambitious – and necessary – novels of our time. Trade Review'Extraordinary, challenging and...thrilling...So simple, so heartbreaking, so very, very good'. * Independent *'[An] unfailingly vivid and engaged portrait of life on the margins of society' * Financial Times Books of 2015 *‘Punches its way, bare-knuckled, through every millennial New York novel centring around middle-class intellectual characters… kicking typical tales of artsy, east-coast intelligentsia romance into a dumpster. But its real target, sought out with a heat-seeking precision, is far weightier, and that is America itself’ * Observer *‘Extraordinary… “Make it new” was Ezra Pound’s exhortation… Lish does exactly that… astonishing… nothing less than a triumph, worthy of every heroic adjective a critic could throw. It is a reminder, plain and simple, of what fiction is for’ * FT *‘Powerful… Lish writes with rare confidence… he doesn’t forget that a good love story should break your heart’ * Metro *‘A blistering novel… bigger than the sum of its parts. I can think of no better recent fiction book to read as the presidential election circuit gears up.’ * The Times *'Atticus Lish is a writer on a stratospheric rise, and rightly so...the book is getting plenty of attention for all the right reasons' * Irish Independent *'This book is a masterwork.' * Alan Warner, author of Morvern Callar *‘Impressive.. Charged with breathless momentum… substantial and beguiling…This is, in the end, a profoundly political book’ * Guardian *'Here is a raw first novel with a low center of gravity. Set in Queens, it dilates upon blinkered lives, scummy apartments, dismal food and bad options. At its heart is a love story between a Chinese immigrant and a veteran of the Iraq war. Mr. Lish’s narrative is intense, moving and somehow necessary.' -- Dwight Garner * New York Times, 2014 Books of the Year *'A raw, sharply rendered love story, a stark portrayal of New York, an unsparing autopsy of the Bush years, and as ambitious and impressive a debut as you could wish for'. * Irish Times *‘Extraordinarily powerful… The burning intensity of the prose… fully absorbs all the detail… Lish’s remarkable debut fuses raw realism with narrative poetry to truly memorable effect’ * Sunday Times *‘A significant contribution… striking… [Lish] isn’t catching a mood but building a world… we look to long novels for richness, not perfection, for power, not precision, so we should savour Lish’s audacity and open heart, his refusal to coddle or console’ * Daily Telegraph *‘Magnificent… one of the best recent novels I have read about work as it exists for millions of people… attests to a more profound and intimate knowledge of how life functions on the margins’ * New Statesman *‘The finest and most unsentimental love story of the new decade.’ * New York Times *'A tragedy-bound love story with a gritty contemporary setting...Lish's matter-of-fact style somehow manages to elevate the everyday and urban into an art form...There is an echo here of T. S. Eliot or...The Great Gatsby'. * Third Way Magazine *'Extraordinary, challenging and...thrilling'. * Belfast Telegraph *'Deeply moving' * Carnegie Europe *‘A stunning debut novel… Lish’s prose is at once raw and disciplined, and every word feels necessary.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Will pull you in… completely compelling and persuasive… a New York which you won’t read about that often… poetic… there’s a beautiful exactness’ * RTE *‘Importan[t]…Lish excels at dialogue’ * Literary Review *‘Astonishing, gorgeous… It is hard to imagine a more daunting task for a novelist than to say something new about 9/11. Preparation for the Next Life is dizzying in its ambition and exhilarating in its triumph.’ Clancy Martin, -- Clancy Martin * New York Review of Books *‘A tremendous book, relentless, moving, written in prose of marvellous integrity. Now that America and the novel are dead, I hope we can have more great American novels as alive as this one.’ * Sam Lipsyte, author of The Ask *‘A tour de force of urban naturalism… a love story that’s as bold and urgent as any you’ll read this year.’ -- Sam Sacks * Wall Street Journal *‘The most relevant, and beautiful, novel of the year.’ * Scott McClanahan, author of Crapalachia and Hill William *'Lovely and soft, tragic and cutting... maybe the most surprising novel of the year, for the author's sudden, astounding appearance on the scene, yes, but more for the temporal details matched succeeded by glowing tenderness.' -- Vanity Fair'A bare-knuckled tale about two lost souls.' -- O, the Oprah Magazine'A sledgehammer to the American dream.' -- Kirkus'Atticus Lish writes with beauty, striking attention to detail, and painful honesty about life on the margins of America ― about the people we don’t see, the places we don’t go.' -- BuzzFeed'Not since Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain have such arduously yearning treks been made through maddening, heartbreaking obstructions in the name of love.' -- New York Journal of Books'In the twenty-first-century United States, oppression is disorganized, random and proceeds largely through neglect. Still, it crushes plenty of people. The wretched of the earth are here among us, for the most part silenced―but with this novel, Lish has given them an unmistakable voice.' -- The Nation'So much of American fiction has become playful, cynical and evasive. Preparation for the Next Life is the strong antidote to such inconsequentialities. Powerfully realistic, with a solemn, muscular lyricism, this is a very, very good book.' -- Joy Williams, author of State of Grace'Violent, swift, and gloriously descriptive. [Preparation for the Next Life] is love story and lament, a haunting record of unraveling lives. Lish says starkly and with enormous power: the spirit prevails until it doesn’t. A stunning debut.' -- Noy Holland, author of Swim for the Little One First'Preparation for the Next Life is that rare novel that grabs you by the shirt and slaps you hard in the face. Look, it says. It isn't pretty. Turn away at your own risk. In case you haven't noticed, the American Dream has become a nightmare. Atticus Lish has your wake up call.' -- Christopher Kennedy, author of Ennui Prophet

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe prequel to the compelling saga that began with Flowers in the Attic', repackaged for a new generation of fans.THEIR DARKEST SECRETS WOULD TURN TO SHAME AND HAUNT THEIR CHILDREN''S CHILDREN.Olivia Winfield''s hopes blossomed when the dashing Malcolm Foxworth asked her to marry him. But her hopes withered like flowers in the scorching sun when his true nature was revealed. Foxworth Hall, the beautiful home that should have given them so much happiness, became like a prison to her, with Malcolm the cruellest of jailers.Suddenly, unexpectedly, the hand of friendship was offered to Olivia when Alicia, her father-in-law''s new young bride, came to Foxworth Hall. The two women were unlikely companions, but soon the laughter of their youth filled the gloomy place. Yet over them both loomed the shadow of Malcolm, whose dark desires were to sow the seeds of a shocking secret that would lead in time to a darkened, locked attic roomTrade ReviewPraise for Viginia Andrews: ‘Beautifully written, macabre and thoroughly nasty… it is evocative of the nasty fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood and The Babes in the Wood, with a bit of Victorian Gothic thrown in. … What does shine through is her ability to see the world through a child’s eyes’ Daily Express ‘Makes horror irresistible’ Glasgow Sunday Mail ‘A gruesome saga… the storyline is compelling, many millions have no wish to put this down’ Ms London ‘There is strength in her books – the bizarre plots matched with the pathos of the entrapped’ The Times

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A masterpiece . . . as mature and finished as Henry James''s The Turn of the Screw'' TimeSet on a Southern army base in the 1930s, Reflections in a Golden Eye tells the story of Captain Penderton, a bisexual whose life is upset by the arrival of Major Langdon, a charming womanizer who has an affair with Penderton''s tempestuous and flirtatious wife, Leonora. Upon the novel''s publication in 1941, reviewers were unsure of what to make of its relatively scandalous subject matter. But a critic for Time magazine wrote, In almost any hands, such material would yield a rank fruitcake of mere arty melodrama. But Carson McCullers tells her tale with simplicity, insight, and a rare gift of phrase. Written during a time when McCullers''s own marriage to Reeves was on the brink of collapseTrade ReviewThe greatest prose writer that the South produced -- Tennessee WilliamsAgain [McCullers] shows a sort of subterranean and ageless instinct for probing the hidden in men's hearts and minds * New York Herald-Tribune *A masterpiece . . . as mature and finished as Henry James's The Turn of the Screw * Time *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''It is the sum of myself, as far as the written word can go'' Kerouac on THE TOWN AND THE CITY Kerouac''s debut novel is a great coming of age story which can be read as the essential prelude to his later classics. Inspired by grief over his father''s death and gripped by determination to write the Great American Novel, he draws largely on his own New England childhood.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDesiderio, an employee of the city under a bizarre reality attack from Doctor Hoffman''s mysterious machines, has fallen in love with Albertina, the Doctor''s daughter. But Albertina, a beautiful woman made of glass, seems only to appear to him in his dreams. Meeting on his adventures a host of cannibals, centaurs and acrobats, Desiderio must battle against unreality and the warping of time and space to be with her, as the Doctor reduces Desiderio''s city to a chaotic state of emergency - one ridden with madness, crime and sexual excess.A satirical tale of magic and sex, The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman is a dazzling quest for truth, love and identity.Trade Review'One of the most original, radical and stylish fiction writers of the twentieth century' * Independent *She belonged at the centre of the literature of her time -- Salman Rushdie * New York Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisNabokov described this novella, written in Paris in 1939 but only published twenty years later, as ''the first little throb of Lolita''. The plot is similar: a middle-aged man wedding an unattractive widow in order to indulge his paedophilic obsession with her daughter. However, The Enchanter has an utterly different atmosphere, as time, place and even names remain a mystery. Nabokov transforms his protagonist''s attempts to lull his twelve-year-old step-daughter into a state of ''enchantment'' into a graceful, chilling fairytale.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFive decades after it was first published, Jack Kerouac''s seminal Beat novel On the Road finally finds its way to the big screen, in a production from award-winning director Walter Salles (Motorcycle Diaries) starring Sam Riley (Control, Brighton Rock), Garret Hedlund (Friday Night Lights), Kristen Stewart (Twilight), Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams and Viggo Mortensen.This edition is transcribed from the original manuscript: hundreds of typed pages taped together by Kerouac to form a ''scroll'', published word for word as it was originally composed.Sal Paradise (Sam Riley), a young innocent, joins his hero Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund), a traveller and mystic, the living epitome of Beat, on a breathless, exuberant ride back and forth across the United States. Their hedonistic search for release or fulfilment through drink, sex, drugs and jazz becomes an exploration of personal freedom, a test of the limits of the American dream.

Read more less

Book Synopsis*** CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS AUTHOR OF THE YEAR 2022***Discover the entertaining, uplifting and intriguing tale of finding true happiness in unexpected places from the No. 1 bestselling author of Grown Ups''A total triumph'' DAILY MAIL___________Ever wished you could trade your life in for a better one?One day, sitting in traffic, married Dublin mum Stella Sweeney attempts a simple good deed.When the result is a terrible car accident, she meets a handsome stranger with a Range Rover who wants her number - no, for insurance purposes - and in this meeting a seed is born which will change Stella''s life forever.What happens next will take Stella thousands of miles from her old life, turning an ordinary woman into a superstar and, along the way, wrenching her whole family apart . . .Was meeting Mr Range Rover destiny or karma?Should she be grateful or just hopping mad?And can Stella grab a chance at real, honest-to-goodness happiness now it finally seems within her reach?___________''Keyes can deftly mix dark and light, tragic and comic in a way that only a handful of writers can'' Irish Times''One of our finest writers'' Jojo MoyesPraise for Marian Keyes:''Comic, convincing and true'' Guardian''Mercilessly funny'' The Times''Funny, tender and completely absorbing!'' Graham NortonTrade ReviewStella Sweeny writes off her car . . . and his. But is it a blessing in disguise or just a taste of more to come? Entertaining and uplifting, The Woman Who Stole My Life is BESTSELLING author Marian Keyes' intriguing tale of finding true happiness in unexpected places . . . Ever wished you could trade your life in for a better one? * From the publisher's description *

Read more less