Narrative theme: coming of age

Book Synopsis2018 NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION''S 5 UNDER 35 HONOREEA fevered, lyrical debut about two young women drawn into an ever-intensifying friendship set against the stark, haunted landscape of the Sonoran desert and the ecstatic frenzy of New York City.Ahlam, the daughter of a Palestinian refugee and his Israeli wife, grows up in the arid lands of desert suburbia outside of Phoenix. In a stark landscape where coyotes prowl and mysterious lights occasionally pass through the nighttime sky, Ahlam’s imagination reigns. She battles chronic fever dreams and isolation. When she meets her tempestuous counterpart Laura, the two fall into infatuated partnership, experimenting with drugs and sex and boys, and watching helplessly as a series of mysterious deaths claim high school classmates.The girls flee their pasts for New York City, but as their emotional bond heightens, the intensity of their lives becomes unbearable. In search of love, ecstasy, oblivion, and belonging, Ahlam and Laura’s drive to outrun the ghosts of home threatens to undo them altogether.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBream Gives Me Hiccups: And Other Stories is the whip-smart fiction debut of Academy Award-nominated actor and star of The Social Network, Jesse Eisenberg. Known for his iconic film roles but also for his regular pieces in the New Yorker and his two critically acclaimed plays, Eisenberg is an emerging voice in fiction.Taking its title from a group of stories that begin the book, Bream Gives Me Hiccups moves from contemporary L.A. to the dormrooms of an American college to ancient Pompeii, throwing the reader into a universe of social misfits, reimagined scenes from history, and ridiculous overreactions.United by Eisenberg's gift for humour and character, and grouped into chapters that each open with an illustration by award-winning cartoonist Jean Jullien, the witty pieces collected in Bream Gives Me Hiccups explore what it means to navigate the modern world, and mark the arrival of a fantastically funny, self-ironic, witty and original voice.Trade ReviewThis book is so good, I read it in one gulp. Densely clustered brilliance from a consistent over-achiever, it's funny, precise and tender. * Richard Ayoade *These short stories are all wonderfully original... funny and heartbreaking - sometimes in the same sentence... Terrific. * The Times *This collection is sharp, funny and also nerdy... Measured, cute and winning. Eisenberg navigates the insanities of modern life with self-deprecation and perfectly pitched irony. * Daily Mail *A sharp, witty collection of short stories about people who are disconnected from society... An acerbic 21st-century sketch show. * Financial Times *Satirical, compassionate - and full of shrinks. * Guardian *Witty... undeniably smart and fun. * Heat *His debut collection of stories blends playfulness with whimsy. * Observer *Eisenberg's humour is knowing, sardonic, wisecracking. * The Daily Telegraph *A witty writer. * Grazia *He sure can act, and boy, can he write... Well observed, friskily written and a hoot. * Tatler *Eisenberg continues to deliver both considered humour and intelligent, conversational prose... a charming and clever collection. * Independent *The latest literary star in the making is The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg. * New York Observer *Tell your "Social Network!" The actor is writing a book. Move over, James Franco - Jesse Eisenberg is the newest young thespian to enter the writing ring. * USA Today *Eisenberg is truly a talented writer. Hilarious and poignant. * Entertainment Weekly *It is when he writes more and jokes less that Eisenberg's prose really sings, leading you to hope he takes the plunge and writes a proper novel soon. But his thoroughly enjoyable debut will more than do for now. * Esquire *Brilliantly witty, deeply intelligent, and just plain hilarious... -- Sherman AlexieA remarkable book by an immensely talented writer. -- Andy BorowitzJesse Eisenberg writes with formidable intellect and verbal dexterity... You'll want to give his debut collection 2000 out of 2000 stars. -- Teddy WayneI've been a fan of Jesse Eisenberg's plays for years and his prose is just as winning... Hilarious, poignant and at times so self-deprecating it makes me want to give Jesse a hug. He's taken decades of neurosis and spun it into comedy gold. -- Simon RichJesse Eisenberg is a deeply original comic voice. These stories are about the funniness, sadness, and strangeness of everyday life and they really made me laugh. * Roz Chast *Jesse Eisenberg's hysterical and exciting stories... Capture the ridiculous, inappropriate and tender relationships between single mothers and their children with an honesty that will bring tears of laughter to your eyes. * Heather O'Neill *Eisenberg has a great command of language... Skilfully plotted and both funny and moving. * Jewish Chronicle *Eisenberg writes with lancing wit about social misfits who are, perhaps, less insane than the worlds around them. * Sydney Morning Herald *Enter Mr. Eisenberg, whose same jittery on-screen energy seeps into the pages of this book. * The Wall Street Journal *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA devastating story of love, loss and one woman''s terrible choice between duty and personal freedom. Fall in love with Brooklyn ahead of its bestselling follow-up, Long Island.It is Ireland in the early 1950s and for Eilis Lacey, as for so many young Irish girls, opportunities are scarce. So when her sister arranges for her to emigrate to New York, Eilis knows she must go, leaving behind her family and her home for the first time.Arriving in a crowded lodging house in Brooklyn, Eilis can only be reminded of what she has sacrificed. She is far from home - and homesick. And just as she takes tentative steps towards friendship, and perhaps something more, Eilis receives news which sends her back to Ireland.There she will be confronted by a terrible dilemma - a devastating choice between duty and one great love.***''With this elating and humane novel, Colm Tóibín has produced a masterwork'' Sunday Times''Unforgettable'' Spectator''The most compelling and moving portrait of a young woman I have read in a long time'' Zoë Heller, Guardian''Magnificent'' Sunday TelegraphThe book that inspired the major motion picture starring Saoirse Ronan.Trade ReviewWith this elating and humane novel, Colm Tóibín has produced a masterwork * Sunday Times *The most compelling and moving portrait of a young woman I have read in a long time -- Zoë Heller * Guardian, Books of the Year *A work of such skill, understatement and sly jewelled merriment could haunt your life -- Ali Smith * TLS, Books of the Year *Suffused with humane depth, funny, affecting, deftly plotted ... a novel of magnificent accomplishment -- Peter Kemp * Sunday Times, Novel of the Year *Brooklyn moved me more than any other book this year -- Nicholas Hytner * Observer, Books of the Year *A beautifully crafted work that transformed ordinary lives into something extraordinary * Daily Telegraph, Books of the Year *No book this year gave me greater pleasure -- Nell Freudenberger * Financial Times *Not a sentence or a thought out of place. It takes over as his finest ficiton to date * Irish Times *Remarkable freshness and immediacy ... with a lovely comedic lightness * Daily Mail *A lovely, thoughtful book ... alive with authentic detail, moved along by the ripples of affection and doubt that shape any life: a novel that offers the reader serious pleasure * Daily Telegraph *Tremendously moving and powerful * New Statesman *Full of sly fun, lovely comic observation and an almost tangible pleasure in storytelling * Observer *Refreshingly authentic . . . Eilis is so vivid it's difficult to believe she did not actually exist * Financial Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘Page-turning… reveals the wars waged every day between girls and their images in mirrors’ E. Lockhart, author of WE WERE LIARS Prettiest or ugliest, once you're on the list, you'll never be the same. It happens every September – the list is posted all over school. Two girls are picked from each year. One is named the prettiest, one the ugliest. The girls who are picked become the centre of attention. The girls who aren't are quickly forgotten. Through the eyes of eight very different girls, THE LIST captures the high school experience with all the struggles of identity, self-esteem, and judgements. Whether they’re on the list or not, things will never be the same. What readers are saying about THE LIST ‘THIS BOOK MADE ME FEEL ALL THE THINGS…Raw and heartwrenching and authentic. I really feel like this is a book that any young girl struggling with her looks should read.’ ‘I was awed at how Siobhan Vivian was able to weave this intricate story that involves some pretty harsh realities with a right amount of levity to keep me captivated.’ ‘The storyline that the author has flawlessly created and that gripped me throughout.’Trade Review ‘Vivian explodes the beauty myth in a page-turning whodunit that reveals the wars waged every day between girls and their images in mirrors.’ —E. Lockhart, author of WE WERE LIARS. ‘Siobhan Vivian is funny and sharp, and she nails the little details and big truths that matter.’ —Maureen Johnson, Queen of Teen 2012. Offering a well-differentiated cast of complex characters and a thoughtful focus on femininity, sisterhood, relationships, eating disorders, and what it means to be singled out, Vivian proves that beauty and ugliness aren't always a matter of appearance.” – PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review ‘Smart, snappy writing.’ – NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

Read more less

Book SynopsisNew York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder brings her Chronicles of Ixia series to its exhilarating conclusion. Despite the odds, Yelena and Valek have forged an irrevocable bond—and a family—that transcends borders. Now, when their two homelands stand on the brink of war, they must fight with magic and cunning to thwart an Ixian plot to invade Sitia. Yelena seeks to break the hold of the insidious Theobroma that destroys a person's resistance to magical persuasion. But the Cartel is determined to keep influential citizens and Sitian diplomats in thrall—and Yelena at bay. With every bounty hunter after her, Yelena is forced to make a dangerous deal. With might and magic, Valek peels back the layers of betrayal surrounding the Commander. At its rotten core lies a powerful magician…and his latest discovery. The fate of all rests upon two unlikely weapons. One may turn the tide. The other could spell the end of everything.Trade Review ‘…a compelling new fantasy series.’ Rhianna Pratchett, SFX Magazine on Poison Study ‘the story… is peopled by convincing and well realised characters. Verdict: 9/10.’ Total SciFi on Fire Study

Read more less

Book SynopsisA diary for her innermost thoughts, a china ornament, a ten-shilling note, and a roll of flame-coloured silk for her first evening dress: these are the gifts Olivia Curtis receives for her seventeenth birthday. She anticipates her first dance, the greatest yet most terrifying event of her restricted social life, with tremulous uncertainty and excitement. For her pretty, charming elder sister Kate, the dance is certain to be a triumph, but what will it be for shy, awkward Olivia? Exploring the daydreams and miseries attendant upon even the most innocent of social events, Rosamond Lehmann perfectly captures the emotions of a girl standing poised on the threshold of womanhood.Trade ReviewEvery emotional ripple is beautifully observed: the hideous anticipation, the agony of the empty dance card, the brief flutters of hope as various men take her for a turn around the dance floor, the many small disappointments that follow and the sudden vivid need to escape from the crowd, to flee, to breathe * Guardian *Lehmann legitimised a type of writing that took on deep personal themes -- English PENA novelist in the grand tradition, and, more than this, an innovator, the first writer to filter her stories through a woman's feelings and perceptions -- Anita BrooknerLehmann has always written brilliantly of women in love, of mothers, of daughters, of suffering -- Margaret DrabbleNo English writer has told of the pains of women in love more truly or more movingly than Rosamond Lehmann -- Marghanita LaskiA novelist in the grand tradition, and, more than this, an innovator, the first writer to filter her stories through a woman's feelings and perceptions * Anita Brookner *Lehmann has always written brilliantly of women in love, of mothers, of daughters, of suffering * Margaret Drabble *No English writer has told of the pains of women in love more truly or more movingly than Rosamond Lehmann * Marghanita Laski *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANTLY INVENTIVE WRITERS OF THIS, OR ANY, COUNTRY'' INDEPENDENTShortlisted for the Costa Novel Award and longlisted for the Booker Prize''Gorgeous''DAILY MAIL''Uproariously funny''EVENING STANDARD''Spellbinding''TATLER''Brilliant''NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW''Luminously beautiful''THE TIMESThe Sunday Times bestselling fourth novel from the critically acclaimed author of Ghostwritten and Cloud AtlasJanuary, 1982. Thirteen-year-old Jason Taylor - covert stammerer and reluctant poet - anticipates a stultifying year in his backwater English village. But he hasn''t reckoned with bullies, simmering family discord, the Falklands War, a threatened gypsy invasion and those mysterious entities known as girls. Charting thirteen months in the black hole between childhood and adolescence, this is a captivating novel, wry, painful and vibrant with the stuff of life.PRAISE FOR DAVID MITCHELL''A thrilling and gifted writer''FINANCIAL TIMES''Dizzyingly, dazzlingly good''DAILY MAIL''Mitchell is, clearly, a genius''NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW''An author of extraordinary ambition and skill''INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY''A superb storyteller''THE NEW YORKERTrade ReviewBlack Swan Green's 'I love 1982' nostalgia is a glassy, pitch-perfect, mock-innocent surface through which something rotten might appear -- Ali Smith * Sunday Telegraph *The everyday details of Jason's life are lyrically transformed by the power of Mitchell's prose, which is beguiling, funny, beautifully poetic and always keenly observed. Black Swan Green is just gorgeous * Daily Mail *Mitchell has written another complex novel, in which multiple themes run like streams of extra data beneath every incident, and understanding comes by the process of reading into a satisfying tangle of metaphor and reference. It is the best kind of contemporary fiction -- M. John Harrison * Times Literary Supplement *Hugely touching and enjoyable * Observer *A delight to read from beginning to end * Sunday Express *Luminously beautiful . . . It celebrates the liberating power of language while reviewing without bitterness or resentment the role that inarticulacy, shyness, even bullying, might play in shaping the future career of a writer -- Ruth Scurr * The Times *Spry, disconcerting and moving. It is also extremely funny even - or especially - at the blackest of moments * Observer *A pitch-perfect study of a time and a place * Sunday Telegraph *David Mitchell's beautiful novel of growing up and learning to accept the fragility of the world shows he can do subtle, slow and moving every bit as well as he did dazzling and mind-boggling in the past works -- Kazuo Ishiguro * Guardian *What is so impressive about Black Swan Green . . . is how entirely the formal artifice accommodates a naturalistic, and a thoroughly felt, story about human beings. Black Swan Green is, as its protagonist would put it, ace -- Sam Leith * Literary Review *All the drama and inadvertent comedy of the onset of adolescence are brilliantly laid bare . . . a deceptively easy read, at times uproariously funny * Evening Standard *Playful and inventive, Mitchell stretches language and ideas with exuberant abandon . . . he inhabits the mind of his troubled teenager with spellbinding conviction * Tatler *A very fine and tightly structured novel . . . Mitchell pulls off a beautifully ironic piece of ventriloquism; the narrator's voice is pitched perfectly and entirely credibly, the dialogue never falters -- William Wall * Irish Times *Intricate and beautiful * Time Out *Alternately nostalgic, funny and heartbreaking . . . Mitchell has a perfect ear for that most calamitous year, the first of the teens, when we come face-to-face with the volatile nature of life * Washington Post *Brilliant . . . In Jason, Mitchell creates an evocative yet authentically adolescent voice, an achievement even more impressive than the ventriloquism of his earlier books * New York Times Book Review *In Black Swan Green the most prodigiously daring and imaginative writer in Britain brings his formidable gifts very close to home . . . he makes the well-worn coming-of-age novel feel vivid and uncomfortable and new . . . he's as vital - as shouting and original and central - a voice as the contemporary novel has to offer. He's shown us dazzling power before; here he wins us with vulnerability -- Pico Iyer * Time *A terrific evocation of a particular time and place and the traumas of a particular age group . . . an oddly beautiful slice of complex life * Herald *Touching and funny . . . a book that brilliantly captures the awkward intensity of adolescence * Sunday Times *The family life of the Taylors is achingly plausible, the characters fully drawn, and Mitchell is adept at revealing appalling pettiness as a signifier of larger issues. This is a book about finding strength in unknown places * Sydney Morning Herald *One of the most endearing, smart, and funny young narrators ever to rise up from the pages of a novel . . . The always fresh and brilliant writing will carry readers back to their own childhoods . . . enchanting * Boston Globe *This book is so entertainingly strange, so packed with activity, adventures, and diverting banter, that you only realize as the extraordinary novel concludes that the timid boy has grown before your eyes into a capable young man * Entertainment Weekly *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.' A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel - a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with exuberant humour the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the thirties. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina of one man's struggle for justice. But the weight of history will only tolerate so much. To Kill a Mockingbird is a coming-of-age story, an anti-racist novel, a historical drama of the Great Depression and a sublime example of the Southern writing tradition. Out now as an unabridged audiobook, narrated by Sissy Spacek.Trade ReviewLee explores with exuberant humourthe irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. * The Week *Someone rare has written this very fine novel, a writer with the liveliest sense of life and the warmest, most authentic humour. A touching book; and so funny, so likeable * Truman Capote *There is humour as well as tragedy in this book, besides its faint note of hope for human nature; and it is delightfully written in the now familiar Southern tradition * Sunday Times *Her book is lifted...into the rare company of those that linger in the memory... * Bookman *Unbelievably, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, has never been properly available in Britain until now - but Harper Lee's wonderful novel, first published in 1960, has been worth the wait. Sissy Spacek brings all the characters to life as young Scout Finch watches her lawyer father, Atticus, do battle for the life of a black man who's been accused of the rape of a white girl in a Deep South town steeped in ignorant prejudice. Set in the 1930s, this is a tale that will never age... -- Kati Nicholl * Daily Express *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2014 DEBUT CATEGORY - KITCHIES PRIZELONGLISTED FOR THE 2013 IMPAC DUBLIN LITERARY AWARDSA New York Times bestseller, Mr Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore is an entirely charming and lovable first novel of mysterious books and dusty bookshops; it is a witty and delightful love-letter to both the old book world and the new.Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a Web-design drone and serendipity coupled with sheer curiosity has landed him a new job working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. And it doesn't take long for Clay to realize that the quiet, dusty book emporium is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few fanatically committed customers, but they never seem to actually buy anything, instead they simply borrow impossibly obscure volumes perched on dangerously high shelves, all according to some elaborate arrangement with the eccentric proprietor. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he has plugged in his laptop, roped in his friends (and a cute girl who works for Google) and embarked on a high-tech analysis of the customers' behaviour. What they discover is an ancient secret that can only be solved by modern means, and a global-conspiracy guarded by Mr. Penumbra himself... who has mysteriously disappeared.Trade ReviewThe story is gripping, the characters are terrific and the writing is clever and funny. As intelligent as it is enjoyable * Daily Mail *It's a proper novel. By which I mean, not that it has pages you actually turn - that is optional with novels nowadays - but pages that you actually want to turn, which is getting rarer and rarer.... Charming, gently comedic, sweetly nerdy and enthusiastic about media both old and new * Irish Times *Rollicking... an ode to the beauty of dead-tree books * New York Times *Delightful... Smart, hip and witty * Washington Post *The pages swell with Mr Sloan's nerdy affection and youthful enthusiasm for both tangible books and new media... A clever and whimsical tale with a big heart * The Economist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTaut, brooding and densely atmospheric, these stories show us the ways in which murder can arise out of boredom, perversity can result from adolescent curiosity, and sheer evil might be the solution to unbearable loneliness.Trade ReviewMarks the debut of a talented and genuinely imaginative writer * New Statesman *As promising a first collection of stories as I have ever come across * Vogue *Ian McEwan writes to shock and succeeds... It is a tour-de-force of concision, and funny, too, in a deadpan manner * Times Literary Supplement *And now for a brand new writer of formidable talent, Ian McEwan who is 27. His stories First Love, Last Rites…are the most devastating debut I have seen for a long time * Daily Mail *A brilliant debut by the most promising writer around * Observer Books of the Year *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first in The Rotters'' Club series, bestselling author Jonathan Coe''s iconic tale of Benjamin Trotter is a hilarious, heartfelt celebration of the joys and agonies of growing up WINNER OF THE EVERYMAN WODEHOUSE PRIZE __________ Birmingham, England, c. 1973: industrial strikes, bad pop music, first love, corrosive class warfare, detention, IRA bombings. Four friends: a class clown who stoops very low for a laugh; a confused artist enthralled by rock; an earnest radical with socialist leanings; and a quiet dreamer obsessed with poetry, God, and the prettiest girl in school. Unforgettably funny and painfully honest, The Rotters'' Club is perfect for readers of Nick Hornby and William Boyd - or anyone who ever experience adolescence the hard way! THE STORY CONTINUES IN THE CLOSED CIRCLE AND MIDDLE ENGLAND. __________ ''One of those sweeping, ambitious yet hugely readable, mo

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe bestselling book behind the Oscar-winning film SLUMDOG MILLLIONAIRE directed by Danny Boyle''An absorbing and richly entertaining read'' TimesFormer tiffinboy Ram Mohammad Thomas has just got twelve questions correct on a TV quiz-show to win a cool one billion rupees. But he is brutally slung in prison on suspicion of cheating. Because how can a kid from the slums know who Shakespeare was, unless he is cheating?In the order of the questions on the show, Ram tells us which incredible adventures in his life on the streets gave him the answers. From orphanages to brothels, gangsters to beggar-masters, and into the homes of Bollywood''s rich and famous, Ram''s story is brimming with the chaotic comedy, heart-stopping tragedy and joyousness of modern India.''Popular fiction at its best and brightest'' Guardian''Colourful'' Sunday Telegraph''Poignant, funny, rich'' MEG ROSOFF, besTrade ReviewThis brilliant story, as colossal, vibrant and chaotic as India itself... is not to be missed * Observer *Poignant, funny, rich... with an utterly orignal and brilliant structure at its heart -- Meg Rosoff, author of HOW I LIVE NOWMingling broad humour with incisive social comment, Q&A is absorbing and richly entertaining reading * The Times *This lively picaresque novel has an original and telling premise... a colourful portrait of Indian society is painted with remarkable lightness and wit * Sunday Telegraph *A hugely successful mixture of satire and intrigue * Independent on Sunday *Swarup is an accomplished storyteller * Daily Mail *An engaging and surprisingly informative read * Telegraph *This novel is part homage to the larger-than-life Bollywood film industry, and the characters and story are so engaging that you really have to read on to find out how it all comes together in the end * Derby Evening Telegraph *One of the most delightful reads i've enjoyed in years * Shashi Tharoor *Q&A is popular fiction at its best and brightest. The prose is efficient and the characters are briskly drawn in strong, sharp colours. Swarup clearly understands his job. As an exercise in genre, the novel is a triumph and that was before the movie-makers got to work -- Robert McCrum * Guardian *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. My name is Kvothe.You may have heard of me''So begins the tale of Kvothe - currently known as Kote, the unassuming innkeepter - from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, through his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic. In these pages you will come to know Kvothe the notorious magician, the accomplished thief, the masterful musician, the dragon-slayer, the legend-hunter, the lover, the thief and the infamous assassin.The Name ofTrade ReviewThe best epic fantasy I read last year...He's bloody good, this Rothfuss guy -- George R R MartinPatrick Rothfuss' debut is set in an unnamed but fully realised fantasy world, and his characters are detailed and convincing. * WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY *Patrick Rothfuss has real talent, and his tale of Kvothe is deep and intricate and wondrous -- Terry BrooksThis is a magnificent book -- Anne McCaffreyThe Name of the Wind has everything: magic and mysteries and ancient evil, but it's also humorous and terrifying and completely believable -- Tad WilliamsAs absorbing on a second reading as it is on the first, this is the type of assured, rich first novel most writers can only dream of producing * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *It is a rare and great pleasure to find a fantasist writing ... with true music in the words -- Ursula K Le GuinThe characters are real and the magic is true -- robin Hobb, New York Times-bestselling author of Assassin’s ApprenticeMasterful ... There is a beauty to Pat's writing that defies description -- Brandon Sanderson, New York Times-bestselling author of Mistborn[Makes] you think he's inventing the genre, instead of reinventing it -- Lev Grossman, New York Times-bestselling author of The MagiciansHail Patrick Rothfuss! A new giant is striding the land -- Robert J. Sawyer, award-winning author of WakeI was reminded of Ursula K. Le Guin, George R. R. Martin, and J. R. R. Tolkein, but never felt that Rothfuss was imitating anyone * THE TIMES *This fast-moving, vivid, and unpretentious debut roots its coming-of-age fantasy in convincing mythology * ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY *This breathtakingly epic story is heartrending in its intimacy and masterful in its narrative essence * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY starred review *Reminiscent in scope of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series ... this masterpiece of storytelling will appeal to lovers of fantasy on a grand scale * LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred) *Shelve The Name of the Wind beside The Lord of the Rings...and look forward to the day when it's mentioned in the same breath, perhaps as first among equals * The A.V. Club *"Patrick Rothfuss' debut is set in an unnamed but fully realised fantasy world, and his characters are detailed and convincing." * WATERSTONE'S BOOKS QUARTERLY *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the 1962 National Book Award and one of Time magazine's 100 Best English-Language Novels, Walker Percy's debut The Moviegoer is an American masterpiece and a classic of Southern literature. Insightful, romantic, and humorous, it is the story of a young man's search for meaning amid a shallow consumerist landscape. Binx Bolling, a young New Orleans stockbroker, fills his days with movies and casual sex. His life offers him nothing worth retaining; what he treasures are scenes from The Third Man or Stagecoach, not the personal experiences he knows other people hold dear. On the cusp of turning thirty, however, something changes: At Mardi Gras, he embarks on a quest for some form of authentic experience. The consequences of Binx's quest, on both himself and his unstable cousin Kate, prove outrageous, absurd, moving, and indelible.Featuring an afterword by Paul Elie, this new edition of The Moviegoer cements Walker Perc

Read more less

Book SynopsisLiza Klaussmann was born in New York but lives in London. She is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Tigers in Red Weather and Villa America.Trade Review'It’s hard to know where to start a review of this startling debut novel because Tigers in Red Weather is absolutely packed with plot . . . anybody who enjoys Mad Men will almost certainly like this book . . . heady, page-turning stuff — the intelligent beach read of the summer.' Sunday Times‘Postwar America, beautiful and damaged people, secrets and lies and passions and martinis and the smell of something rotting beneath the fragrance of summer . . . an immensely gripping and well-told tale of two generations . . . It is part of the considerable pleasure of this novel that much of it reminds you of other stories, in prose and film. You are on familiar but never stale territory, and you read on with the growing conviction that a nasty surprise lies around the corner.’ Guardian‘What an unexpectedly brilliant read this is. It starts off all Stepford Wives and Valley of the Dolls and ends up somewhere in the territory of Jeffrey Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides or Donna Tartt's The Secret History . . . This is an ambitious undertaking for a first novel but Klaussmann really pulls it off, turning an elegant period piece into a creepy psychological thriller . . . A wonderfully clever, chilling summer read.’ Independent on Sunday'Tigers in Red Weather yokes literary craftmanship to a strong, engaging plot . . . The stakes are raised with artful subtlety over the course of the novel . . . The final sequence, told by a relative outsider, is impressively disquieting and concludes this arresting debut with a flourish of ventriloquism’ Literary Review ‘A scintillating look at a gilded but dysfunctional family grappling with lies, secrets and conspiracies . . . The voices of the five main characters ramp up the tension with languorously graceful prose, perfectly mirroring the book's long, dangerous summers.’ Marie Claire‘The novel you should be tucking into your beach bag this summer is Klaussmann’s excellent Tigers In Red Weather . . . Flipping back and forth across a couple of decades, it gracefully tracks the currents souring the intoxicating cocktail of money, sex, heat, boredom and beauty that constitutes the lives of the wealthy on Martha’s Vineyard following World War II. With a conscious nod to F Scott Fitzgerald, it’s a clever, sensual thriller that combines a smidgen of Klaussmann’s family history with a clear-eyed perspective on the multi-faceted nature of families and the emotional duplicity of the rich.’ Metro'Summers are made for novels like Liza Klaussmann's debut, a sophisticated page-turner, where danger and pain throb in every tight-lipped silence, every casually cruel remark, every misinterpreted gesture . . . Hemingway['s] influence is apparent in the simplicity of her language and observations . . . I read it the first time in one sitting, and envy anyone about to start it, with that delicious pleasure ahead of them.' Sunday Telegraph'Two things set this enjoyably creepy book apart from your average beach read. The plot and pacing are expertly managed . . . But the real selling point is the writing, which is minimalist and evocative at the same time.' Observer‘Tragedy, betrayal and passion . . . A riveting, intelligent read’ Stylist

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe accomplished and evocative first novel by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Confederacy of Dunces.John Kennedy Toole wrote The Neon Bible for a literary contest at the age of sixteen. The manuscript was finally published twenty years after Toole's death.The Neon Bible opens with the narrator, a young man named David, on a train, leaving the small Southern town he's grown up in for the first time. What unspools is the tender and tragic coming-of-age story of a lonely child, a story that revolves around David's unorthodox friendship with his great-aunt Mae - a former stage performer who is fiercely at odds with the conservative townspeople - and the everyday toll of living in an environment of religious fanaticism. From the opening lines of The Neon Bible, David is fully alive, naive yet sharply observant, drawing us into his world through the sure artistry of John Kennedy Toole.Trade ReviewHeartfelt emotion, communicated in clean direct prose . . . a remarkable achievement. -- Michiko Kakutani * New York Times *A powerful novel that belongs on the shelf with the works of Flannery O'Connor, Carson McCullers and Eudora Welty. * Orlando Sentinel *John Kennedy Toole's tender, nostalgic side is as brilliantly effective as his corrosive satire. If you liked To Kill A Mockingbird you will love The Neon Bible. -- Florence KingShockingly mature. . . . Even at sixteen, Toole knew that the way to write about complex emotions is to express them simply. * Chicago Tribune *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor fans of The Devil Wears Prada and The Bold Type comes a smart, modern story about the shifting media landscape and one Middle Eastern—American writer finding her place in it. How far would you go to keep the job a hundred other girls are ready to take? Noora's life is a little off track. She's an aspiring writer and amateur blogger in New York—which is a nice way of saying that she tutors rich Upper East Side kids and is currently crashing on her sister's couch. But that's okay. Noora has Leila, who has always been her rock, and now she has another major influence to lean on: Vinyl magazine. The pages of Vinyl practically raised Noora, teaching her everything from how to properly insert a tampon to which political ideology she subscribes to. So when she lands a highly coveted job as assistant to Loretta James, Vinyl's iconic editor-in-chief, Noora can't believe her luck. Her only dream is to write for Vinyl, and now with her foot firmly in the door and the Loretta James as her mentor, Noora is finally on the right path... or so she thinks. Loretta is an unhinged nightmare, insecure and desperate to remain relevant in an evolving media landscape she doesn't understand. Noora's phone buzzes constantly with Loretta's bizarre demands, particularly with tasks Loretta hopes will undermine the success of Vinyl's wunderkind digital director Jade Aki. The reality of Noora's job is nothing like she expected, and a misguided crush on the hot IT guy only threatens to complicate things even more. But as Loretta and the old-school print team enter into a turf war with Jade and the woke-for-the-wrong-reasons digital team, Noora soon finds herself caught in the middle. And with her dream job on the line, she'll need to either choose a side or form her own. Clever, incisive, and thoroughly fun, A Hundred Other Girls is an insider's take on the changing media industry, an ode to sisterhood, and a profound exploration of what it means to chase your dreams.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn Instant National Bestseller!An Indie Next Pick!A B&N Reads April Pick!A Most Anticipated in 2021 Pick for Oprah Magazine USA Today Buzzfeed Greatist BookPage PopSugar Bustle The Nerd Daily Goodreads Literary Hub Ms. Magazine Library Journal Culturess Book Riot Parade Magazine Kirkus The Week Book Bub OverDrive The Portalist Publishers WeeklyA Best of Summer Pick for TIME Magazine CNN NBC News CBS News Book Riot The Daily Beast Lambda Literary The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Goodreads Bustle Veranda Magazine The Week Bookish St. Louis Post-Dispatch Den of Geek LGBTQ Reads Pittsburgh City Paper Bookstr Tatler HKA Best Fantasy Novel from the Last 10 Years for Book RiotA Best of 2021 Pick for NPRA vibrant and queer reinvention of F. Scott Fitzgerald''s jazz age classic. . . . I was captivated from the first sentenc

Read more less

Book Synopsis“Suspenseful…emotionally compelling. I found myself eagerly following in a way I hadn’t remembered for a long time, impatient for the next twist and turn of the story.—NPRAn Afghan American woman returns to Kabul to learn the truth about her family and the tragedy that destroyed their lives in this brilliant and compelling novel from the bestselling author of The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, The House Without Windows, and When the Moon Is Low.Kabul, 1978: The daughter of a prominent family, Sitara Zamani lives a privileged life in Afghanistan’s thriving cosmopolitan capital. The 1970s are a time of remarkable promise under the leadership of people like Sardar Daoud, Afghanistan’s progressive president, and Sitara’s beloved father, his right-hand man. But the ten-year-old Sitara’s world is shattered when communists stage a coup, assassinating the president and Sitara’s entire family. Only she survives. Smuggled out of the palace by a guard named Shair, Sitara finds her way to the home of a female American diplomat, who adopts her and raises her in America. In her new country, Sitara takes on a new name—Aryana Shepherd—and throws herself into her studies, eventually becoming a renowned surgeon. A survivor, Aryana has refused to look back, choosing instead to bury the trauma and devastating loss she endured. New York, 2008: Thirty years after that fatal night in Kabul, Aryana’s world is rocked again when an elderly patient appears in her examination room—a man she never expected to see again. It is Shair, the soldier who saved her, yet may have murdered her entire family. Seeing him awakens Aryana’s fury and desire for answers—and, perhaps, revenge. Realizing that she cannot go on without finding the truth, Aryana embarks on a quest that takes her back to Kabul—a battleground between the corrupt government and the fundamentalist Taliban—and through shadowy memories of the world she loved and lost. Bold, illuminating, heartbreaking, yet hopeful, Sparks Like Stars is a story of home—of America and Afghanistan, tragedy and survival, reinvention and remembrance, told in Nadia Hashimi’s singular voice.Trade Review“Hashimi’s narrative is telenovela-good—daring adventurers, deadly secrets, family drama, the beloved dead, a politician-in-the-making, true love, and more.” — Booklist (starred review) “The question of whether Sitara can go home again is the existential and physical journey Hashimi conjures, in a story at once surreal and deeply rooted in the history of Afghanistan’s modern turmoil and ancient enchantment.” — NPR “A fascinating epic tale.” — New York Post “Thrilling and moving” — Booklist “The novel is an elegiac tribute to family and civilization—fragile collective entities that should be cherished while they still hold.” — BookPage

Read more less

Book SynopsisBabitz’s talent for the brilliant line, honed to a point, never interferes with her feel for languid pleasures. —The New York Times Book ReviewA new reissue of Babitz’s collection of nine stories that look back on the 1980s and early 1990s—decades of dreams, drink, and glimpses of a changing world. Black Swans further celebrates the phenomenon of Eve Babitz, cementing her reputation as the voice of a generation.With an introduction by Stephanie Danler, bestselling author of Sweetbitter.On the page, Babitz is pure pleasure—a perpetual–motion machine of no–stakes elation and champagne fizz. —The New Yorker

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times No.1 BestsellerThe sequel to Jessie Burton’s million-copy bestseller The Miniaturist, The House of Fortune returns to Nella's mysterious family in historic 18th-century Amsterdam for a story of fate and fortune.‘Elegant, atmospheric, compelling. I absolutely loved it’ - Marian Keyes, author of Again, Rachel‘A book of beauty and insight . . . awe-inspiring. Burton is a master storyteller’ - Elizabeth Day, author of Magpie1705. In the golden city of Amsterdam Thea Brandt is turning eighteen, and she is ready to welcome adulthood with open arms. At the city’s theatre, the love of her life awaits her, but at home all is not well – her father Otto and Aunt Nella argue endlessly, and the Brandt family are selling their furniture in order to eat. On Thea’s birthday, also the day that her mother died, the secrets of the past begin to overwhelm the present.Nella is desperate to save the family and maintain appearances, to find Thea a husband who will guarantee her future, and when they receive an invitation to Amsterdam’s most exclusive ball, she is overjoyed – perhaps this will set their fortunes straight.But, as Thea discovers new miniatures, Nella’s fears are realized. Eighteen years after she first entered the family’s life, the miniaturist may have plans of her own . . .The House of Fortune is a glorious, sweeping story of ambition, secrets and dreams, and one young woman’s determination to rule her own destiny.Trade ReviewA more than worthy sequel to The Miniaturist. Elegant, atmospheric, compelling. I absolutely loved it -- Marian Keyes, author of Again, RachelA book of beauty and insight . . . awe-inspiring. Burton is a master storyteller . . . I felt I could see, smell, live and breathe every page . . . a delight for anyone who is about to read it -- Elizabeth Day, bestselling author of The Party and MagpieClever and satisfying . . . Burton is an acute observer . . . A worthy sequel, mature and thoughtful * Guardian *Satisfying . . . a moving celebration of the possibilities for change and regeneration in life * Sunday Times *A joyous read: compassionate, wise and fabulously immersive . . . a beguiling, tender sequel . . . Brilliant * i *Sumptuous, elegant and atmospheric * Prima *The most beautiful book you'll read this year. A spectacular achievement . . . [it] will break your heart and put it back together again . . . Shining, sinuous, truly a marvel -- Kate WilliamsElegant historical suspense * Grazia *Returning to the world of her bestselling The Miniaturist, Jessie Burton’s tale of a curious young woman in 18th-century Amsterdam finds her at the top of her game * Observer *A satisfying, page-turning romp with a heroine to root for * Sunday Express *Beautifully crafted and brimming with historical detail * Sunday Post *Fans of The Miniaturist are in for a treat with this sequel * Red *The mysterious writing draws in any curious reader * The Herald *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe final volume in the renowned Danish poet Tove Ditlevsen's autobiographical Copenhagen Trilogy (A masterpiece The Guardian). Following Childhood and Youth, Dependency is the searing portrait of a woman's journey through love, friendship, ambition, and addiction, from one of Denmark's most celebrated twentieth century writersTove is only twenty, but she''s already famous, a published poet, and the wife of a much older literary editor. Her path in life seems set, yet she has no idea of the struggles aheadlove affairs, wanted and unwanted pregnancies, artistic failure, and destructive addiction. As the years go by, the central tension of Tove''s life comes into painful focus: the terrible lure of dependency, in all its forms, and the possibility of living freely and fearlesslyas an artist on her own terms.The final volume in the Copenhagen Trilogy, and arguably Ditlevsen''s masterpiece, Dependency is a da

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisSusan Dennard’s New York Times bestselling fantasy series continues – with the story of Iseult, the Threadwitch.War has come to the Witchlands . . . and nothing will be the same again.Iseult has found her heartsister Safi at last, but their reunion is brief. For Iseult to stay alive, she must flee Cartorra while Safi remains. And though Iseult has plans to save her friend, they will require her to summon magic more dangerous than anything she has ever faced before.Meanwhile, the Bloodwitch Aeduan is beset by forces he cannot understand. And Vivia – rightful queen of Nubrevna –finds herself without a crown or home.As villains from legend reawaken across the Witchlands, only the mythical Cahr Awen can stop the gathering war. Iseult could embrace this power and heal the land, but first she must choose on which side of the shadows her destiny will lie.Witchshadow is the fourth book in the Witchlands series by bestselling author Susan Dennard.‘Truthwitch by Susan Dennard is like a cake stuffed full of your favourite fantasy treats . . . this book will delight you’ – Robin Hobb, author of Assassin’s ApprenticeTrade ReviewTruthwitch by Susan Dennard is like a cake stuffed full of your favourite fantasy treats: highway robbery, swordplay, deep friendships, treachery, magic, piracy on the high seas, and romance. If you like any or all of the above in fantasy tales, this book will delight you -- Robin HobbSusan Dennard has worldbuilding after my own heart. It’s so good it’s intimidating -- Victoria Aveyard on BloodwitchFeaturing vibrant characters and an innovative system of magic, Susan Dennard’s Truthwitch is a fast-paced adventure and a wonderful tribute to the power of the binding ties of friendship -- Jacqueline Carey on TruthwitchTruthwitch has it all: strong female characters, adventure, magic, romance, and non-stop action that will leave you breathless -- Maria V. Snyder on TruthwitchEpic fantasy, epic adventure, epic friendship -- Kate Elliott on TruthwitchA world you’ll want to inhabit forever! -- Alexandra Bracken on Windwitch[Dennard] sets scenes so skillfully that the descriptions of the geography become immersive, and the characters continually develop along familiar lines. The plentiful action in this exciting fantasy almost makes it feel like one is in a multi-player online game -- Booklist on WindwitchEmotionally charged . . . complicated politics and personal relationships that are full of surprises -- RT Book Reviews on Windwitch

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt's 1944 when the twin sisters arrive at Auschwitz with their mother and grandfather. In their benighted new world, Pearl and Stasha Zagorski take refuge in their identical natures, comforting themselves with the private language and shared games of their childhood. As part of the experimental population of twins known as Mengele's Zoo, the girls experience privileges and horrors unknown to others, and they find themselves changed, stripped of the personalities they once shared, their identities altered by the burdens of guilt and pain.That winter, at a concert orchestrated by Mengele, Pearl disappears. Stasha grieves for her twin, but clings to the possibility that Pearl remains alive. When the camp is liberated by the Red Army, she and her companion Feliks - a boy bent on vengeance for his own lost twin - travel through Poland's devastation. Undeterred by injury, starvation, or the chaos around them, motivated by equal parts danger and hope, they encounter hostile villagers, Jewish resistance fighters, and fellow refugees, their quest enabled by the notion that Mengele may be captured and brought to justice within the ruins of the Warsaw Zoo. As the young survivors discover what has become of the world, they must try to imagine a future within it.Trade ReviewMischling is a paradox. It's a beautiful novel about the most odious of crimes, it's a deeply-researched act of remembrance that somehow carries the lightness of a fairy tale, and it's a coming-of-age story about children who aren't allowed to come of age. If your soul can survive the journey, you'll be rewarded by one of the most harrowing, powerful, and imaginative books of the year * Anthony Doerr, bestselling author of ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE *Affinity Konar is an astonishing and fearless writer, whose great gift to us is this book. With incantatory magic, she marches through the most nightmarish of landscapes, swinging her light * Karen Russell, author of SWAMPLANDIA *Affinity Konar's Mischling is a piercing novel written with chin-up virtuosity. The prose is dazzling, and the story of these twins is moving and searing, and as powerful as the best mythic stories of the masters of old * Chigozie Obioma, author of THE FISHERMEN *Affinity Konar's MISCHLING is a tale of courage, courageously told - spare and beautiful, riveting and heartrending... A case of extraordinary storytelling from first page to transcendent last * David Wroblewski, author of THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE *Konar has woven a masterful and poignant account of a pair of twin sisters who cannot be separated, even by the cruelest hand of fate. Her prose is mystical and delicately poetic, and she uses her manifold gifts to tell a deeply engaging story of fortitude and triumph * Lucette Lagnado, author of CHILDREN OF THE FLAMES and THE MAN IN THE SHARKSKIN SUIT *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis breathtakingly beautiful debut is a love letter to the written word and the power of stories to open doors to other worldsTrade ReviewA gorgeous, aching love letter to stories, storytellers and the doors they lead us through . . . absolutely enchanting -- Christina Henry, bestselling author of ALICEMany worlds, vanishing doors, mind-cracking magic: I clung to each page, searching for answers. This is one of the most unique works of fiction I've ever read - I hope there's more ahead -- Tamora Pierce, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling authorA gorgeously written story of love and longing, of what it means to lose your place in the world, and then have the courage to find it again. This book is a door I'm glad to have opened -- Kat Howard, author of AN UNKINDNESS OF MAGICIANSA love letter to imagination, adventure, the written word and the power of many kinds of love -- KIRKUSThe Ten Thousand Doors of January healed hurts I didn't even know I had. An unbearably beautiful story about growing up, and everything we fight to keep along the way -- Amal El-Mohtar, Hugo Award-winning authorThe Ten Thousand Doors of January is devastatingly good, a sharp, delicate nested tale of worlds within worlds, stories within stories, and the realm-cracking power of words -- Melissa Albert, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of THE HAZEL WOODThe Ten Thousand Doors of January begins as a simple adventure, but like its mysteriously transportive doors, leads deeper and deeper the further you read. Each page dazzles with things to be discovered: a mansion of priceless artifacts, a secret journal, a tantalizing quest through strange and beautiful places, and a love story that spans time, worlds and magic. I couldn't put it down -- Peng Shepherd, author of THE BOOK OF MAll the magic you once knew but have almost forgotten waits in these pages for you to discover again. With a masterful voice and a spellbinding story, reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January feels like coming back to a beloved childhood classic to find it unexpectedly grew up with you. It's a deeply satisfying pleasure to read, and lingers in your heart afterwards. I loved it! -- Melissa Caruso, author of THE TETHERED MAGETo open this book is to open a door to a brand new world that you'll never want to leave. With the masterful prose of a true Wordworker, Harrow has created a richly imagined, multi-layered narrative full of wonder, sorrow, and strength -- Jordanna Max Brodsky, author of THE WOLF IN THE WHALEBeautifully written and absorbing . . . an ambitious, expansive story that never loses its sense of intimacy . . . a wonderful, insightful and imaginative book. I highly recommend it -- Josiah Bancroft, author of SENLIN ASCENDSThe Ten Thousand Doors of January is quite possibly the most achingly beautiful novel I've ever read, and I find it mind-boggling that anything this lovely could possibly be a debut novel . . . Harrow is more than an author; she is a Wordsmith, a sorceress wielding a pen in place of a wand . . . I can already tell that January is going to be one of my dearest friends, and that I'll be revisiting her often -- NOVEL NOTIONSHarrow has created a gorgeous world of magic and portal universes that is at once familiar and startlingly new. With lush writing and a sense of wonder, The Ten Thousand Doors of January examines power, progress and identity. It is an adventure in the best and grandest sense -- Erika Swyler, author of THE BOOK OF SPECULATIONEvery page of this smart, heartfelt expedition celebrates an abiding love of stories and slips between genres in wonderful ways. Readers are going to relish every sentence and surprise in this book - I know I did! -- Matthew Sullivan, author of MIDNIGHT AT THE BRIGHT IDEAS BOOKSTOREThis book was amazing . . . a phenomenally written tale, that felt a little like falling into a door to a different world -- SUPER STARDRIFTERGorgeous and magical . . . One of the most beautifully-written debuts I've ever read -- NOVEL NOTIONSHas real depth . . . Engrossing -- IMAGE MAGAZINEA stunning debut novel with inventive worlds, sumptuous language and impeccably crafted details -- BOOKPAGEThe buzz is warranted. The writing is beautiful and lush. The story is sad and sweet in equal measure. The world is captivating and I truly felt transported -- SPECULATIVE SHELFOne giant love letter to the written word . . . The storytelling is a joyful kind of magic. Alix E. Harrow has a beautifully dreamy style that is irresistible, even at the book's darkest moments, and her imagination feels limitless . . . this book is an infectious celebration of courage and wonder that feels like a massive, life affirming hug -- SCIFINOWThe Ten Thousand Doors of January is a celebration of books; it is a reflection of the power of stories, of words, and it is, honestly, a remarkable read to escape into -- FANTASY HIVEImaginative, gripping, and beautifully written * SFX *Beautiful, achingly gorgeous ode to storytelling, magic and family * S. A. Chakraborty, author of THE CITY OF BRASS *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA New York Times bestseller • Nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction • Ocean Vuong’s debut novel is a shattering portrait of a family, a first love, and the redemptive power of storytellingNew York Times Readers Pick: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century “A lyrical work of self-discovery that’s shockingly intimate and insistently universal…Not so much briefly gorgeous as permanently stunning.” —Ron Charles, The Washington Post“This is one of the best novels I’ve ever read...Ocean Vuong is a master. This book a masterpiece.”—Tommy Orange, author of There There and Wandering StarsOn Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family’s history that

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe second novel in Willa Cather’s Great Plains trilogy, is a lyrical coming-of-age story charting the struggles of an artists life. 'Lingers long in the memory' Joyce Carol Oates Thea Kronberg, gifted with a beautiful voice, defies her humble beginnings in Colorado and finds success far from her small hometown. But her achievements come with painful drawbacks. As the distance between Thea and her roots increases, she must fight to find her inner strength and reach her full potential. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY PENELOPE LIVELYTrade ReviewWilla Cather makes a world which is burningly alive, sometimes lovely, often tragic -- Helen DunmoreThe Song of the Lark illuminates all her work -- A. S. Byatt

Read more less

Book Synopsis***Pre-order Abi Daré's new novel AND SO I ROAR now - Coming August 2024***'Unforgettable' New York Times 'Impressive' Observer 'Remarkable' Independent 'Important' Guardian 'Captivating' Mirror 'Luminous' Daily Mail 'Sparkling' Harper's Bazaar 'Beautiful' HeraldTHE NEW YORK TIMES AND TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR THE DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZE FOR FICTIONRECOMMENDED BY MALALA YOUSAFZAI, ELIZABETH DAY, ANDI OLIVER AND DOLLY PARTON___________________________________________________I don't just want to be having any kind voice . . .I want a louding voice.At fourteen, Adunni dreams of getting an education and giving her family a more comfortable home in her small Nigerian village. Instead, Adunni's father sells her off to become the third wife of an old man. When tragedy strikes in her new home, Adunni flees to the wealthy enclaves of Lagos, where she becomes a house-girl to the cruel Big Madam, and prey to Big Madam's husband. But despite her situation continuously going from bad to worse, Adunni refuses to let herself be silenced. And one day, someone hears her.__________________________________________________'A story of courage that will win over your heart' Stylist'Daré's characters leap off the page, powering this funny, luminous and heart-swelling tale' Daily Mail'Such a vibrant, tender, beautiful novel . . . I fell in love with her, and fell in love with the book' Elizabeth DayTrade ReviewA brave, fresh voice . . . Daré draws the reader in with a vivid character whose dire circumstances are contrasted with her natural creativity . . . Unforgettable * New York Times Book Review *An impressive debut novel * Observer *Adunni's humour and fierce determination to change her destiny shine through this remarkable book * Independent *The story told in this novel is an important one . . . The Girl with the Louding Voice joins a long and fine tradition of issue-led novels that have sparked conversations resulting in social change * Guardian *Narrated by Adunni herself in a brilliantly sustained broken English, this ultimately uplifting debut novel shines a penetrating light on the barbaric practices of child labour and child marriage * Mail on Sunday *This is a compelling, captivating and unforgettable debut * Mirror *Daré's characters leap off the page, powering this funny, luminous and heart-swelling tale * Daily Mail *A vibrant, tender, beautiful novel -- Elizabeth Day, author of FRIENDAHOLICAbi Daré makes a sparkling literary debut . . . and marks the appearance of a strong and stylish new talent * Harper's Bazaar *Incredible . . . packs an emotional punch -- Eithne Farry * Sunday Express *Adunni's humour and fierce determination to change her destiny shine through this remarkable debut novel * i *Compelling and captivating . . . an unforgettable novel and, in Adunni, the author has created a truly unforgettable voice * Daily Express *Abi Daré is a writer who not only knows how to create a powerful sensory impression, but also one who can really work the rhythm, texture and music of language. The words jump off the page . . . The Girl with the Louding Voice never feels like standard fare. It's lifted not only by the verve of its prose, but also its touching explorations of friendship and solidarity. It has an emotional connection that remains strong even in the final pages -- Sam Jordison * Guardian *Gives an eloquent voice to the victims of modern slavery * Independent *A stunning novel - original, beautiful and powerful. I was utterly captivated by Adunni and her mesmerising louding voice -- Rosamund Lupton, author of SISTER and THREE HOURSA powerful debut novel . . . Compelling . . . Readers will fall in love with Adunni . . . The writing is addictive and deeply evocative. A beautiful debut from a talented author * Herald *Despite the heartbreaking subject matter, this is a story of hope . . . a compelling read * Sunday Post *A bravely determined heroine * Sunday Times *A story of courage that will win over your heart * Stylist *Abi Daré's book is compulsive reading * Irish Tatler *A true original, this will open your eyes * Cosmopolitan *Winning comedy sparkles through the grimness . . . it's the vividly alive characters that keep you hooked, all the way to Daré's rousing, heart-swelling conclusion * Daily Mail *A bold new storyteller . . . Abi Daré's fearless debut is a celebration of girls who dare to dream and those who help them unfurl their wings so that they might soar -- Imbolo Mbue, author of HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WEREAdunni's voice weaves and dances its way across the pages with a rhythm that captivated me, astonished me and, more than once, broke my heart -- Tara Conklin, author of THE HOUSE GIRLHeartbreaking and inspiring. Daré provides a valuable reminder of all the young women around the world who are struggling to be heard and how important it is that we listen to them. A moving story of what it means to fight for the right to live the life you choose * Kirkus *Pick the novel up now * Radio Times *Resilience and beauty of language are at the heart of this story of domestic slavery * Sainsbury's Magazine *It's an amazing book . . . I heartily recommend -- Jo Whiley * Radio 2 Book Club *A virtuosic study of female loss, determination, and of the subversive potential of words . . . It magnificently reveals how language constructs us as humans. With immense skill, Daré creates an irresistible energy and powerfully sustains it on every page -- Preti TanejaA character for the ages. Adunni is a girl who narrates her own suffering with levity, who paints depth and texture and beauty into her Nigerian homeland, who tenderly cultivates her own humanity even while everything around her seeks to thwart it. She is an ambassador for girls everywhere. She is important, funny, brave, and enduring. Abi Daré has written an unforgettable novel, by the strength of her own louding voice -- Jeanine Cummins, author of AMERICAN DIRTA dazzling year for debut novelists . . . This 2018 Bath Novel Award winner takes a long, hard look at modern slavery through the eyes of 14-year-old Adunni -- Timothy Harrison * Vogue *Inspiring . . . explores a spirit and hope that cannot be contained even in the grimmest of circumstances * Entertainment Weekly *In Nigeria, and around the world, girls are fighting for their right to learn. I'm grateful to Abi for showing the challenges Nigerian girls face and showcasing the power of their voices -- Malala YousafzaiA courageous story * New York Times *I'm a big fan of hyper-realistic dialogue and using the sounds of a world to shape the energy of a novel, and so I was immediately drawn to The Girl with the Louding Voice . . . Adunni is a youthful, dynamic guide with serious bite and poetic language -- Kiley Reid, author of SUCH A FUN AGEGorgeous, devastating and unforgettable. I am enraptured by this book -- Elizabeth Gilbert, author of CITY OF GIRLSThe book character I love the most is . . . Abi Daré's brilliant Adunni -- Maggie O'Farrell * Red Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the Booker PrizeWinner of 'Book of the Year' at the British Book Awards A BBC 'Big Jubilee Read'A heart-wrenchingly moving novel set in Glasgow during the Thatcher years, Shuggie Bain tells the story of a boy's doomed attempt to save his proud, alcoholic mother from her addiction.'An amazingly intimate, compassionate, gripping portrait of addiction, courage and love.' – The judges of the Booker PrizeIt is 1981. Glasgow is dying and good families must grift to survive. Agnes Bain has always expected more from life, dreaming of greater things. But Agnes is abandoned by her philandering husband, and as she descends deeper into drink, the children try their best to save her, yet one by one they must abandon her to save themselves.It is her son Shuggie who holds out hope the longest. Shuggie is different, he is clearly no’ right. But Shuggie believes that if he tries his hardest, he can be normal like the other boys and help his mother escape this hopeless place.Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart lays bare the ruthlessness of poverty, the limits of love, and the hollowness of pride. For fans of A Little Life and Angela's Ashes, it is a heartbreaking novel by a brilliant writer with a powerful and important story to tell.'A heartbreaking novel' – The Times'Tender and unsentimental . . . The Billy Elliot-ish character of Shuggie . . . leaps off the page.' – Daily Mail'Douglas Stuart has written a first novel of rare and lasting beauty.' – ObserverTrade ReviewA heartbreaking novel, a book both beautiful and brutal . . . All that grief and sadness and misery has been turned into something tough, tender and beautifully sad. * The Times *Leaves us gutted and marvelling: Life may be short, but it takes forever. * New York Times *I think it’s the best first book I’ve read in many years. -- Karl Ove Knausgård * Guardian *Rarely does a debut novel establish its world with such sure-footedness, and Stuart’s prose is lithe, lyrical and full of revelatory descriptive insights. -- Alex Preston * Observer *An astonishing portrait, drawn from life, of a society left to die . . . Shuggie Bain has been longlisted for the Booker Prize. In a just world, it would win. * Daily Telegraph *Shuggie Bain comes from a deep understanding of the relationship between a child and a substance-abusing parent, showing a world rarely portrayed in literary fiction . . . Admirable and important. -- Sarah Moss * Guardian *This is a dysfunctional love story . . . between a boy and his mother . . . what makes his book a worthy contender for the Booker is his portrayal of their bond, together with all its perpetual damage. * Financial Times *Douglas Stuart’s startling Glasgow-set debut novel creates a world of poverty and suffering offset by pure, heart-filling, love . . . It’s a novel that deserves, and will surely often get, a second reading. -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *Shuggie Bain is a novel that aims for the heart and finds it. -- John Self * The Times *Tender and unsentimental . . . and the Billy Elliot-ish character of Shuggie . . . leaps off the page. * Daily Mail *Beautiful and bleak but with enough warmth and optimism to carry the reader through. -- Graham Norton (via Twitter)A boy's heartbreaking love for his mother . . . as intense and excruciating to read as any novel I have ever held in my hand . . . The book’s evocative power arises out of the author’s talent for conjuring a place, a time, and the texture of emotion . . . brilliantly written. * Newsday *An outstanding book . . . Magnificently done . . . Wonderful. -- Lee Child * Sunday Post *A debut novel that reads like a masterpiece, Shuggie Bain gives voice to the kind of helpless, hopeless love that children can feel toward broken parents. * Washington Post *Rightly being heralded for its visceral, emotionally nuanced portrayal of working class Scottish life and its blazingly intimate exploration of a mother-son relationship. * LitHub *A formidable story, lyrically told, about intimacy, family, and love. -- 12 Best Books of 2020 So Far * ELLE (US) *You will never forget Shuggie Bain. Scene by scene, this book is a masterpiece. -- Kirkus Reviews starred reviewDouglas Stuart writes with startling, searing intimacy. I fell hard for these characters; when they have nothing left, they cling maddeningly—irresistibly—to humor, pride and hope * Chia-Chia Lin *Shuggie Bain is an intimate and frighteningly acute exploration of a mother-son relationship and a masterful portrait of alcoholism in Scottish working class life, rendered with old-school lyrical realism . . . I kept being reminded of Joyce's Dubliners. -- Sandra Newman, author of The HeavensThere’s no way to fake the life experience that forms the bedrock of Douglas Stuart’s wonderful Shuggie Bain. No way to fake the talent either. Shuggie will knock you sideways * Richard Russo *A dark shining work. Raw, formidable, bursting with tenderness and frailty. The effect is remarkable, it will make you cry. -- Karl Geary, author of Montpelier ParadeEvery now and then a novel comes along that feels necessary and inevitable. I’ll never forget Shuggie and Agnes or the incredibly detailed Glasgow they inhabit. This is the rare contemporary novel that reads like an instant classic. I’ll be thinking and talking about Shuggie Bain - and teaching it - for quite some time. -- Garrard Conley, New York Times-bestselling author of Boy ErasedGlasgow, Scotland, in the 1980s is the backdrop for this story of the fraught bond between a young boy and his mother. -- ‘The 22 Best Books to Read This Winter’ * Vogue (US) *Compulsively readable… As [the novel] beautifully and shockingly illustrates how Shuggie ends up alone, this novel offers a testament to the indomitable human spirit. Very highly recommended -- Library Journal starred review

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of BBC's 100 Novels That Shaped Our World.Jane Austen's best-loved novel is an unforgettable story about the inaccuracy of first impressions, the power of reason and, above all, the strange dynamics of human relationships and emotions.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful hardbacks make perfect gifts for book lovers, or wonderful additions to your own collection. Gorgeously illustrated by the celebrated Hugh Thomson, this edition also includes an afterword by author and critic, Henry Hitchings.A tour de force of wit and sparkling dialogue, Pride and Prejudice shows how the headstrong Elizabeth Bennet and the aristocratic Mr Darcy must have their pride humbled and their prejudices dissolved before they can acknowledge their love for each other.Trade ReviewAn unputdownable read that challenges perceptions, and subtly marks a line in feminist history and thought -- Victoria Lambert * The Telegraph *Jane Austen’s self-enclosed world enveloped me, soothing in its contours and assumptions . . . irresistible -- Susan Chira * The New York Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor Mara, mother of four, and sole provider for her family, life has never been easy. In her community women carry a heavy burden as the world changes around them. In Botswana the tensions are growing as young people attempt to resolve the magicks of tradition with the technologies of now.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA brilliant and thought-provoking novel about family, loyalty and betrayalOnce I'd been Daddy's favourite. Before something terrible happened.Violet Rue is the baby of the seven Kerrigan children and adores her big brothers. What's more, she knows that a family protects its own. To go outside the family to betray the family is unforgiveable. So when she overhears a conversation not meant for her ears and discovers that her brothers have committed a heinous crime, she is torn between her loyalty to her family and her sense of justice. The decision she takes will change her life for ever.Exploring racism, misogyny, community, family, loyalty, sexuality and identity, this is a dark story with a tense and propulsive atmosphere Joyce Carol Oates at her very best.Trade Review‘Simply the most consistently inventive, brilliant, curious and creative writer going’ Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl 'I stand in awe before such an unresting hunger for the literary endeavour' Rose Tremain ‘My Life as a Rat is Oates at her best – a powerful, uncompromising story that explores racism, misogyny and recent American history’ Kate Saunders, The Times ‘Sexism, rape, racism. Murder, sadism – fans will savour this stew of typical Oatsian nasties, in which 12-year old Violet is cruelly exiled from her family … the odyssey her psyche endures is served well by Oates’s juttery, rough-edged prose’ Mail on Sunday ‘Oates’s novel adroitly touches on race, loyalty, misogyny, and class inequality while also telling a moving story with a winning narrator. This book should please her fans and win her new ones’ Publishers Weekly ‘Oates’s prose contains a deep-felt rawness which hovers between hope, despair and love’ Guardian

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe magnificent new novel from the Booker Prize-winning author of The White Tiger: LONGLISTED FOR THE 2013 IMPAC AWARD. 21st Century Mumbai is a city of new money and soaring real estate, and property kingpin Dharmen Shah has grand plans for its future. His offer to buy and tear down a weathered tower block, making way for luxury apartments, will make each of its residents rich - if all agree to sell. But not everyone wants to leave; many of the residents have lived there for a lifetime, many of them are no longer young. As tensions rise among the once civil neighbours, one by one those who oppose the offer give way to the majority, until only one man stands in Shah's way: Masterji, a retired schoolteacher, once the most respected man in the building. Shah is a dangerous man to refuse, but as the demolition deadline looms, Masterji's neighbours - friends who have become enemies, acquaintances turned co-conspirators - may stop at nothing to score their payday...

Read more less

Mamma was fast asleep at home, her spirit lapped in unconsciousness. Her dreams would not divine that her daughter had stolen out to meet a lover. And next door also they slept unawares, while one of them broke from the circle and came alone to clasp a stranger ...' Judith Earle, over-earnest and inexperienced, has always been a little in love with each of the four cousins who come to stay next door and, on her return from Cambridge, becomes madly in love with one of them - Roddy, the 'sensation-hunter'. DUSTY ANSWER traces with delicate nostalgia childhood friendships and the pangs of thwarted young love.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs the storm clouds of war gather, Cordelia seeks refuge in the grounds of her family estate. Handsome landscaper Isaac has recently arrived to tend to the gardens, and the connection between him and Cordelia is as immediate as it is forbidden. Isaac begins to secretly teach her how to cultivate the gardens, so when he and all the young men are called away to war, Cordelia takes over. From the battlefields of Europe, Isaac sends her letters, that give her hope for their future in peacetime. But when these messages abruptly cease, Cordelia must face up to the worst and take her future - and the fate of the garden they both loved - into her own hands...--Trade Review‘A beautiful emotional story of love and strength’ Liz Fenwick, author of The River Between Us ‘With shades of Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth, and her trademark combination of unputdownable plot and beautiful writing, Lorna Cook has had me utterly captivated with her latest. The Hidden Letters has it all – heartbreak and redemption, intense love and desperate loss. It's the type of book that first made me fall in love with reading, I adored every sumptuous, atmospheric page, and can't recommend it highly enough.’ Jenny Ashcroft, author of Under the Golden Sun ‘This book perfectly evokes that spirit of a lost age. What a gorgeous writer Lorna Cook is. A book to lose yourself in. I loved it.’ Mollie Walton, author of The Ironbridge Saga and The Raven Hall Saga. ‘A beautiful, evocative story of love and coping with loss that kept me turning the pages late into the night. A triumph!’ Rachel Burton, author of The Secrets of Summer House ‘Magnificent. Broke my heart and put it back together again’ Amanda Geard, author of The Midnight House ‘Kept me guessing right up to the last poignant page, I found it difficult to put down and impossible to stop thinking about when I did’ Iona Grey, author of The Glittering Hour ‘Lorna Cook’s lyrical novel transports us back to the last golden summer of innocence. Against the backdrop of a garden so beautifully depicted that I could smell the roses, she leads us through loss, heartbreak and heroism – and shows us that love can triumph over even the greatest adversity.’ Judy Summers, author of The Forgotten Sister

Read more less

Book SynopsisA funny, poignant and unforgettable novel about Frank - one of the most lovable and unusual characters you'll ever meet.For some boys fitting in means standing outMeet Frank - he isn't like other kids. Intrepid explorer, sartorial connoisseur; he's as strange as he is brilliant. But Frank discovers the hard way that people don't like brilliant and they hate strange. What Frank longs for - aside from a father - is a friend. Meet Mimi - a reclusive literary legend and mother to Frank. Mimi has been holed up in her Bel Air mansion for years, keeping her secrets and hiding Frank from a cruel world. Until Alice.Meet Alice - the level-headed young woman charged with looking after Mimi's unusual son. In so doing, Alice discovers what it really means to love someone. And she finds a part of herself she never knew was missing. Funny, poignant and unforgettable, this novel - like Frank - is a one-off creation you'll fall in love with.Trade ReviewSit back...and enjoy the show. * New York Times Book Review *Hilarious, poignant and full of unexpected gems. * Huffington Post *Delightful. You will laugh out loud. * Slate *Johnson's magnificently poignant, funny, and wholly original debut goes beyond page-turner status. Readers will race to the next sentence. And the next. Her charming, flawed, quietly courageous characters, each wonderfully different, demand a second reading while we impatiently await the author's second work. -- starred review * Library Journal *Readers will find themselves captivated. * People Magazine *Witty dialogue, irresistible characters, and a touch of mystery make this sweet debut about a quirky Hollywood family an enjoyable page-turner. * Booklist *Johnson's magnificently poignant, funny, and wholly original debut goes beyond page-turner status. Her charming, flawed, quietly courageous characters, each wonderfully different, demand a second reading. * Library Journal *The curious incident of where'd you go, Salinger. * Kirkus Reviews *

Read more less

Book SynopsisNora, Lili, and Iris are seniors at Seaside High. Their differing schedules and mounting extracurriculars inspire the girls to form a secret club where they can hang without sacrificing their future aspirations. Enter Supper Club, the delicious solution to their problems. When life starts to crumble like a cookie under the girls' feet, they rely on comfort food to hold it together. Can Supper Club endure life's most challenging recipes without burning to a crisp?SUPPER CLUB is The Baby-Sitters Club meets Relish in this foodie fusion of feel-good friendship and coming-of-age drama perfect for Raina Telgemeier readers.Trade Review"Morrow expertly weaves together these individual stories, and their ties to each supper club offering, via emotive illustrations and well-paced storytelling. Morrow’s bold, sketchy line art and rich, dense color palette, coupled with luxurious food illustrations that one can almost smell from the page, couch the story in cozy, familiar atmosphere, making for a heartfelt—and mouthwatering—tale. Straightforward, easy-to-follow recipes for the novel’s featured dishes conclude." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)"As good as your favorite meal. Friendship, coming of age, food, everything a story needs to be great." —AIPT "The richly colored art is full of movement and personality, gestures and facial expressions bringing intensity to every character...Bursting with flavor." -Kirkus Reviews

Read more less