Search results for ""macmillan""

Filled with wit, warmth and sunshine, In the Summertime by Maeve Haran has all the things we love about a seaside England in the sun making us realize you don’t have to go abroad to find romance and adventure.With her marriage falling apart and her longed-for holiday cancelled, Georgina Greenhills gets an unexpected offer: a holiday in the small seaside town nestling in the beautiful South Downs where she grew up. There is only one catch: she must try and solve the mystery of the valuable antiques disappearing from the remote manor house belonging to an old lady called Maudie.Gina gathers her childhood friends, scatty Ruth and feisty Eve, to help her. In the middle of a blazing summer they swim, sunbathe and share cocktails as they watch the sun sparkling on the sea, and Gina realizes how much she missed them and how happy she is to be back here in the summertime. Not least because of bumping into Daniel Napier, her shy and awkward teenage dancing partner, now an alarmingly attractive man. Although there is the small problem of his annoying girlfriend.As Gina tries to solve the mystery at the manor and wonders how to get rid of the girlfriend, an even bigger secret emerges that will take all their skill and experience to resolve.

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The original bestseller from the world's most respected astrological authorityEmbark on your cosmic path to self-discovery with this comprehensive guide to the twelve signs of the zodiac.Your sun sign is determined by the day and month of your birth and is the foundation of your horoscope. Taking each of the twelve signs in turn, world famous astrologer Linda Goodman explains the importance of the sun – the most powerful of all stellar bodies. She describes the characteristics of each sign and how these can be used to really get to know the men, women, children, bosses and employees in your life. This newfound knowledge allows us to feel closer to one another and to understand that, as Goodman says, ‘Not all Capricorns are meek, not all Leos are outwardly domineering and not all Virgos are virgins.’ Learn all this and much, much more from the world-famous astrologer who has helped millions divine their way to success, happiness and love by studying the sun signs.Before publication of Sun Signs in 1968, astrology as we know it had a very limited following in the United States and around the world. With this book, Linda Goodman changed that forever, bringing metaphysical consciousness to millions of readers around the world for the first time. Newspapers began running astrology columns, and Goodman herself contributed to these in the larger mass circulation women's magazines. An increasing number of people knew their sign and how to interpret the signs of others, introducing the study of astrological tendencies as we now know it.

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The second Dirk Gently book by Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul is a witty detective story perfect for fans of his phenomenally successful The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.When a passenger check-in desk at Terminal Two, Heathrow Airport, shot up through the roof engulfed in a ball of orange flame, the usual people tried to claim responsibility. First the IRA, then the PLO and the Gas Board. Even British Nuclear Fuels rushed out a statement to the effect that the situation was completely under control, that it was a one in a million chance, that there was hardly any radioactive leakage at all and that the site of the explosion would make a nice location for a day out with the kids and a picnic, before finally having to admit that it wasn't actually anything to do with them at all. No rational cause could be found for the explosion – it was simply designated an act of God. But, thinks Dirk Gently, which God? And why? What God would be hanging around Terminal Two of Heathrow Airport trying to catch the 15:37 to Oslo?'A thumping good detective-ghost-horror-who dunnit-time travel-romantic-musical-comedy-epic' - Douglas Adams, on Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.Continue this surreal series with the unfinished The Salmon of Doubt.

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A laugh out loud look at first love, loss and trying to avoid the girl of your dreams.What a stupid expression that is in the first place: To fall in love.Like you fall into a ditch or something.Maybe people need to look where they’re going.As far as Phoebe Davis is concerned, love is to be avoided at all costs. Why would you spend your life worrying about something that turns you into a complete moron? If her best friend Polly is anything to go by, the first sniff of a relationship makes you forget about your friends (like, hello?), get completely obsessed with sex (yawn) and bang on constantly about a person who definitely isn't as great as you think they are. So Phoebe isn't going to fall in love, ever. But then she meets Emma . . . Love is for Losers by Wibke Brueggemann is a hilarious, life-affirming novel about all the big stuff: love, sex, death, family, heartbreak, kittens . . . and kisses that turn the whole world upside down.

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The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood is the incredible first epic fantasy in the Serpent Gates duology.'An astounding debut . . . unlike anything I've read before' - Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the WyldDoes she owe her life to those planning her death . . .Csorwe was raised by a death cult steeped in old magic. And on her fourteenth birthday, she’ll be sacrificed to their god. But as she waits for the end, she’s offered a chance to escape her fate. A sorcerer wants her as his assistant, sword-hand and assassin. As this involves her not dying that day, she accepts. Csorwe spends years living on a knife-edge, helping her master hunt an artefact which could change many worlds. Then comes the day she's been dreading. They encounter Csorwe’s old cult – seeking the same magical object – and Csorwe is forced to reckon with her past. She also meets Shuthmili, the war-mage who’ll change her future.If she’s to survive, Csorwe must evade her enemies, claim the artefact and stop the death cult once and for all. As she plunges from one danger to the next, the hunt is on . . .Continue the thrilling fantasy adventure with The Thousand Eyes.

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A Midwinter Promise by Sunday Times top ten bestselling author Lulu Taylor is a dramatic story of loss, grief and the legacy of secrets. 'Don’t you just want to grab this, switch off the phone and curl up on the sofa? Winter bliss from Lulu Taylor' – Veronica Henry, author of A Night on the Orient Express.The pastA lonely and imaginative child, Julia loves her family’s beautiful and wild Cornish home with all her heart. But, marked by dark troubles, she enters her adult years determined to leave and seek a new beginning in London. It’s there she meets the handsome David. They fall in love but, when Julia becomes pregnant, even he can’t stop the terrible echoes of the past from ringing in her ears. The only sound to be heard above the noise is the old Cornish house, calling her home . . .The presentFor Julia’s adult children, Alex and Johnnie, the house hides the history of their family within its walls. For Alex, it is full of memories of her late mother. For Johnnie, it is the house – rightfully theirs after Julia's death – that was stolen. With their father now lying in a hospital bed, time is running out for Alex and Johnnie to uncover the secrets of what happened to their mother all those years ago. Can they discover the truth before the house closes its doors to them forever?

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A laugh-out-loud funny story. Perfect for fans of Kes Gray's You're Called What?! and Oi Frog and Friends.Little Snoring. Scratchy Bottom. Nowhere. Nowhere Else. You Live Where?!It's the first day of the holiday and down by the pool the birds are getting to know each other. But as they soon discover, they all have one thing in common… they come from places with the funniest names. Can you guess which bird comes from Chicken? And whoever comes from Duck? And who lives in Monster?A hilarious story, featuring a range of unbelievably odd place names from around the world - and they are all real! Includes some fun facts about all the birds and the places they come from. With illustrations from the artist behind the bestselling Dinosaur that Pooped series.

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'Funny, silly and totally original' - Josh WiddicombeThe hunt is on for a missing traffic cone in Runaway Cone, the entertaining sequel to Dig Dig Digger by Morag Hood, fun for both adults and young children.Digger, Traffic Light and the cones are all ready to start the roadworks one morning when they notice that something's wrong . . . Gary the traffic cone is missing! And It's a disaster! They search left and right, high and low, but it's no use. Can they find Gary all by themselves? Or do they need to ask for help? What's going to happen when they find him?A laugh-out-loud mystery adventure with fun, colourful illustrations and a twist at the end leaving readers excited for more.

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One Good Thing is the heartwarming, hilarious alternative love story, from the internationally bestselling author of Confessions of a Forty-Something F##k Up, Alexandra PotterIn life, nothing is certain. Just when you think you have it all figured out, something can happen to change the course of everything . . .Liv Brooks is still in shock. Newly-divorced and facing an uncertain future, she impulsively swaps her London Life for the sweeping hills of the Yorkshire Dales, determined to make a fresh start. But fresh starts are harder than they look and, feeling lost and lonely, she decides to adopt Harry, an old dog from the local shelter, to keep her company.But Liv soon discovers she isn’t the only one in need of a new beginning. On their daily walks around the village, they meet Valentine, an old man who suffers from loneliness who sits by the window and Stanley, a little boy who is scared of everyone, hides behind the garden gate and Maya, a teenager who is angry at everyone and everything. But slowly things start to change . . .Utterly relatable, hilarious and heart-breakingly honest, this is a novel about friendship, finding happiness and living the life unexpected. And how, when everything falls apart, all you need is one good thing to turn your life around – and make it worth living again.Praise for Alexandra Potter:'The new Bridget Jones' – Celia Walden, Telegraph'A funny, feisty tale' – Mike Gayle, author of Half a World Away'Pacy, absorbing, witty and tender' – Karen Swan, author of The Last Summer

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A wonderfully warm and relatable story from the brilliant Jill Murphy who has sold over 4 million books featuring the much-loved Bear Family and a charming third story to follow classic picture books Peace at Last and Whatever Next!Mr and Mrs Bear wake up late. It's raining outside, and Baby Bear is late for nursery. Then Mrs Bear sits on her glasses at work and Mr Bear spills his coffee! Oh dear – it seems this is just going to be one of those days! But the loveable Bear family muddle through cheerfully, and there's even a surprise for Baby Bear when Mr Bear gets home from work.With all the hallmarks of an instant firm favourite, Just One of Those Days is a big-hearted story about a family day, which parents and young children everywhere will relate to. Full of satisfying repetition and rhythm and delightful illustrations, Just One of Those Days is a must-have for all Jill Murphy fans, old and new.'Murphy's acute observation of family life continues to delight both children and adults.' - Guardian and Online'Full of gentle humour and astute observations of human behaviour.' - The Bookseller

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From Brendan Reichs, co-author of the Virals series with Kathy Reichs, comes Chrysalis, the nail-biting conclusion to the Project Nemesis series – a fast-paced, high concept thriller perfect for fans of The 100 and The Maze Runner.'Twisty and unpredictable to the very last page. I loved this series.' Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar ChildrenThe sixty-four members of Fire Lake's sophomore class have managed to survive the first two phases of the Program – and each other. Now, they alone have emerged into the dawn of a new era on Earth, into a Fire Lake valley that's full of otherworldly dangers and challenges. Although staying alive in this broken world should force Min, Noah, Tack and the others to form new alliances, old feuds die hard, and the brutality of the earlier Program phases cannot be forgotten. But being a team isn't easy for the sophomores, and when they discover that they may not be alone on the planet after all, they'll have to decide if they're going to work together . . . or die together.

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Poor Solomon is looking for some fun but no one wants to play. The dragonflies tell him to buzz off, the storks get in a flap, and the hippo? Well, the less said about the hippo, the better! But then somebody else starts causing trouble . . . and for once it is NOT Solomon. Could it be the perfect pal for a lonely crocodile? Solomon Crocodile is a snappy, happy, fun story with stunning artwork from the Kate Greenaway award-winning Catherine Rayner.

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I Survived is Victoria Cillier's chilling, eye-opening story of marriage and attempted murder, revealing the truth about a case that made headlines around the world. Soon to be the subject of a major TV documentary.On Easter Sunday 2015, experienced skydiver Victoria Cilliers undertook a parachute jump, a gift from her husband, British army sergeant Emile Cilliers. Her parachutes failed to open and she plummeted 4,000 feet to the ground, sustaining life-threatening injuries. Miraculously, she survived. Then the police arrived at her door. Someone had tampered with her parachute and they suspected Emile.In I Survived Victoria describes how she fell for Emile, and how the charming man she thought she knew gradually revealed a darker side, chipping away at her self-worth until she found it impossible to sift truth from lies. Can she really believe that her husband – the father of their two young children – tried to kill her? As more shocking revelations come to light, and she has to face his trial and relentless media scrutiny, she struggles to come to terms with the past. Even a guilty verdict does not free her because Emile is not ready to let her go . . .Powerful and honest, this is the story of a woman who was put through hell and yet found the strength to forge a new life for herself and her children.

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Down at the bottom of the deep, dark sea, something big, mean and terribly greedy is stirring. . . It's the shark in the dark! The poor fish in the sea live in fear of the nasty shark. They don't want to be his dinner! Just as the shark is closing in, the fish meet a clever squid, who hatches a plan to teach the shark a lesson once and for all. It involves a shadowy head, a shadowy tail, and a huge amount of teamwork! Can the flustered fish pull it off?The Shark in the Dark is a tremendously funny book written by Peter Bently and illustrated by Ben Cort – with a biting twist!

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In Simple Genius, David Baldacci returns to the main characters from bestsellers Split Second and Hour Game. Former secret service agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell must overcome their personal demons to solve two new mysteries.Scarred by the past.Realizing that Maxwell is teetering on the brink of self-destruction, King arranges therapy for his reluctant partner. But is the hospital hiding its own disturbing secrets?A mysterious death.When a physicist dies near a secret compound of scientists and cartographers, funded by an anonymous but powerful group, a down-on-his-luck King takes the case.A larger conspiracy?The body was found opposite the compound, directly across the York River, near Camp Peary – a sinister CIA training ground. And they’re watching King’s investigation.Is Maxwell right in her suspicions of foul play in the hospital? And with both the FBI and CIA breathing down King’s neck, can he discover the truth in time?Simple Genius is followed by First Family, The Sixth Man and King and Maxwell.

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Pop to the shops with Busy Shopping! Young children will have fun pulling and turning the tabs as they read the rhyming story. Fill the trolley to the top, whizz down the aisles, then pay at the checkout – and keep a lookout for the missing teddy bear! Perfect for toddlers who like to play as they read, they will love this bright and colourful reissued board book with wonderful illustrations by Mélanie Combes. Discover more adventures in the Busy Book series with Busy Hairdresser, Busy Bookshop, and Busy Café.

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A Bend in the River is V. S. Naipaul’s vivid exploration of post-colonial Africa at the time of Independence. With an introduction by Yiyun Li, author of A Thousand Years of Good Prayers.Salim has spent most of his life on the east coast of Africa, living and working with his family. When he sets out to build a new life for himself, moving to an unnamed country in the heart of the continent he believes he is doing so to fulfil his duty as a man. He buys a small shop in a sleepy town, at a bend in the river, where he sells sundries to the locals. First published in 1979, A Bend in the River is V.S. Naipaul's vivid exploration of post-colonial Africa at the time of Independence. Serving as a microcosm of this changing world, his bend in the river is a scene of chaos, violent change, warring tribes, ignorance, isolation and poverty. And from this rich landscape emerges one of the author's most potent works – a truly moving story of historical upheaval and social breakdown.

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Queer Eye sensation and passionate cook Antoni Porowski inspires both newbies and knowledgeable cooks to get back into the kitchen. Antoni Porowski, the food and wine guru on Netflix hit show Queer Eye, invites you to cook delicious dishes in his gorgeous first cookbook, Antoni in the Kitchen. With appealing openness, he shows cooks of all levels how to become more confident and casual in the kitchen. The verve and naturalness of his approach earned raves from the likes of GQ and the New York Times, which noted his dishes prove that 'sometimes simple is anything but simplistic.'Some of the delicious recipes in this book are weeknight healthyish meals, while others are perfect for off-the-cuff entertaining. Visual stunners, they’re often composed of fewer than five ingredients. Whether Bastardized Easy Ramen; Malaysian Chili Shrimp; Roasted Carrots with Carrot-Top Pesto; or Salty Lemon Squares, all can be carried off with panache, even by beginners.All recipes in this cookbook have been fully anglicized.

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Heart-achingly funny, touching and brilliantly clever, Millions is a fantastic adventure about two boys, one miracle and a million choices.Brothers Damian and Anthony didn't mean to get caught up in a botched train robbery. But what would you do if a massive bag of cash dropped from the sky and you had only a few days to spend it before it became worthless? Buy a million pizzas? End world poverty? Not such an easy decision, is it? The boys soon find out that being rich is a mug's game. Not only is the clock ticking, the bank robbers want their money back . . .This edition of Frank Cottrell-Boyce's Carnegie Medal-winning Millions features fantastic cover artwork from the brilliant Steven Lenton.Millions is a major film directed by Oscar-winner Danny Boyle.

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In Success Habits, Napoleon Hill outlines his principles of success, a set of key tenets and beliefs that provide a basis for life-changing success. Hill, the legendary author of the classic bestseller Think and Grow Rich, has been immortalized for his contribution to the self-help genre. This never-before-published work provides even more of the kind of wisdom that has changed the lives of millions. With straightforward engaging language, Hill explains the fundamental rules that lead to a prosperous life. From the importance of having a definite purpose to the inexorable influence of the cosmic habit force, Hill’s principles offer a new way of thinking about intention, self-discipline, and the way we lead our lives.Originally delivered as a series of speeches, Success Habits is filled with personal anecdotes and stories to illustrate the principles of success. Hill’s insights apply to every facet of life, inspiring readers to leverage his principles to achieve their own aspirations and create the successful lives they have always dreamed of.

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First Stories: Mulan is the perfect introduction for young children to this classic tale.Push, pull and turn mechanisms bring Mulan's brave adventure to life, as she transforms into a soldier, trains for battle and rides her white horse. This well-loved tale is beautifully imagined for a new generation by children's illustrator Yi-Hsuan Wu.Little ones can collect more books in the First Stories series, including Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and Rapunzel.

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A timeless tale of courage, resistance and friendship, The Umbrella Mouse is a heart-stopping adventure drawing on the true stories of animals caught in the conflict of WWII, winner of the 2019 Sainsbury's Book Prize for Fiction and selected for Waterstones Book of the Month. 1944, and London is under attack. Young mouse Pip Hanway's safe and quiet world is turned upside down when her home, umbrella shop James Smith & Sons, is destroyed by a bomb. Orphaned and alone, she must begin a perilous quest to find a new home. But the only way to get there is by joining Noah’s Ark, a secret gang of animals fighting with the resistance in France, operating beneath the feet of the human soldiers. Danger is everywhere and as the enemy closes in, Pip must risk everything to save her new friends.Beautifully illustrated by Sam Usher, Anna Fargher's debut novel takes you on an incredible journey through a war that reaches even the smallest of creatures.'An ambitious and wonderfully well-achieved first novel' Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse.'A spellbinding tale of bravery and hope, where courage is found in the smallest of heroes' Gill Lewis, author of Sky Hawk.

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David Baldacci uses his unsurpassed storytelling skills to explore the essence of survival itself, as a conspiracy of violence surrounds an FBI agent whose fate was to be the . . . Last Man Standing.Seven seconds. That's all it took for Web London to lose everything: his friends, his team, his reputation. Point man of the FBI's super-elite Hostage Rescue Team, Web roared into a blind alley towards a drug leader's lair, only to meet a high-tech, custom-designed ambush that killed everyone around him. Coping with the blame-filled words of anguished widows and the suspicions of colleagues, Web tries to put his life back together. To do so, he must discover why he was the one man who lived through the ambush – and find the only other person who came out of the alley alive . . . a ten-year-old boy who has since disappeared. Acting on his instincts, Web believes he knows where the killer will strike next. Only this time, he may not survive the attack.

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First Stories: Aladdin is the perfect introduction for young children to this classic fairy tale.Push, pull and turn mechanisms bring the story of Aladdin, his lamp and the magical genie to life. This well-loved fairy tale is beautifully imagined for a new generation by children's illustrator Amanda Enright.Little ones can collect more books in the First Stories series, including Doctor Dolittle, The Jungle Book, and Peter Pan.

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A stunning gift book containing 150 bold, brave and beautiful poems by women – from classic, well loved poets to innovative and bold modern voices. From suffragettes to school girls, from spoken word superstars to civil rights activists, from aristocratic ladies to kitchen maids, these are voices that deserve to be heard. Collected by anthologist Ana Sampson She is Fierce: Brave, Bold and Beautiful Poems by Women contains an inclusive array of voices, from modern and contemporary poets. Immerse yourself in poems from Maya Angelou, Nikita Gill, Wendy Cope, Ysra Daley-Ward, Emily Bronte, Carol Ann Duffy, Fleur Adcock, Liz Berry, Jackie Kay, Hollie McNish, Imtiaz Dharker, Helen Dunmore, Emily Dickinson, Mary Oliver, Christina Rossetti, Margaret Atwood and Dorothy Parker, to name but a few!Featuring short biographies of each poet, She is Fierce is a stunning collection and an essential addition to any bookshelf.The anthology is divided into the following sections:Roots and Growing UpFriendshipLoveNatureFreedom, Mindfulness and JoyFashion, society and body imageProtest, courage and resistanceEndings'Covering everything from love and freedom to protest and body images, dip in and embrace words of beauty on a daily basis.' – Stylist'Women sometimes get overlooked in poetry anthologies, but She is Fierce more than makes up for it.' – Independent

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A Desolation Called Peace is the spectacular space opera sequel to A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine, winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel.An alien terror could spell our end.An alien threat lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with it, no one can destroy it, and Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus is supposed to win a war against it.In a desperate attempt to find a diplomatic solution, the fleet captain has sent for an envoy to contact the mysterious invaders. Now Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass – both still reeling from the recent upheaval in the Empire – face an impossible task: they must attempt to negotiate with a hostile entity, without inadvertently triggering the destruction of themselves and the Empire.Whether they succeed or fail could change the face of Teixcalaan forever.A Desolation Called Peace is the second book in the Teixcalaan duology.‘All-round brilliant space opera, I absolutely loved it’ – Ann Leckie on A Memory Called Empire‘A cutting, beautiful, human adventure . . . The best SF novel I’ve read in the last five years’ – Yoon Ha Lee on A Memory Called Empire

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DISCOVER THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES FROM THE GLOBAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SHADOWHUNTER CHRONICLES!Two outcasts find themselves at the centre of world-altering change in Sword Catcher, the start of a riveting epic fantasy series from the internationally bestselling author of The Shadowhunter Chronicles.'Everything I look for in fantasy' - George R. R. Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Game of Thrones-----One was raised to rule. One was trained to die. Welcome to the Chronicles of Castellane.In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, a young orphan named Kel is stolen from his old life to enter a new one of luxury and peril. He’s to become Prince Conor Aurelian’s body-double, shielding the Prince from all dangers. As his ‘Sword Catcher,’ he and Conor become close as brothers – yet Kel lives for one purpose: to die for Conor.Lin Caster is an Ashkar physician, part of a community ostracised for its rare magical abilities. But events pull her and Kel together and into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King who rules Castellane’s criminal underworld.Together, they’ll discover an extraordinary conspiracy. But can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war and the world into chaos?Lose yourself in a vibrant world of power, intrigue and magic in this spellbinding epic from an internationally bestselling sensation.

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'Extraordinary . . . a profound and beautiful book . . . a moving meditation on grief and loss, but also a sparky celebration of joy, wonder and the miracle of love . . . Witty, wise, beautifully structured and written in clear, singing prose' – Sunday TimesEighteen months before Kathryn Schulz’s beloved father died, she met the woman she would marry. In Lost & Found, she weaves the stories of those relationships into a brilliant exploration of how all our lives are shaped by loss and discovery - from the maddening disappearance of everyday objects to the sweeping devastations of war, pandemic, and natural disaster; from finding new planets to falling in love.Three very different American families form the heart of Lost & Found: the one that made Schulz’s father, a charming, brilliant, absentminded Jewish refugee; the one that made her partner, an equally brilliant farmer’s daughter and devout Christian; and the one she herself makes through marriage. But Schulz is also attentive to other, more universal kinds of conjunction: how private happiness can coexist with global catastrophe, how we get irritated with those we adore, how love and loss are themselves unavoidably inseparable. The resulting book is part memoir, part guidebook to living in a world that is simultaneously full of wonder and joy and wretchedness and suffering - a world that always demands both our gratitude and our grief.A staff writer at the New Yorker and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Kathryn Schulz writes with curiosity, tenderness, erudition, and wit about our finite yet infinitely complicated lives. Crafted with the emotional clarity of C. S. Lewis and the intellectual force of Susan Sontag, Lost & Found is an uncommon book about common experiences.'An extraordinary gift of a book, a tender, searching meditation on love and loss and what it means to be human. I wept at it, laughed with it, was entirely fascinated by it. I emerged feeling a little as if the world around me had been made anew.' – Helen Macdonald, author of H Is for Hawk

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Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2022From the bestselling author of Breasts and Eggs and international literary sensation Mieko Kawakami comes a sharp and illuminating novel about a fourteen-year-old boy subjected to relentless bullying.In Heaven, a fourteen-year-old boy is tormented for having a lazy eye. Instead of resisting, he chooses to suffer in silence. The only person who understands what he is going through is a female classmate, Kojima, who experiences similar treatment at the hands of her bullies. Providing each other with immeasurable consolation at a time in their lives when they need it most, the two young friends grow closer than ever. But what, ultimately, is the nature of a friendship when your shared bond is terror?Unflinching yet tender, sharply observed, intimate and multi-layered, this simple yet profound novel stands as yet another dazzling testament to Mieko Kawakami’s uncontainable talent. TIME's 100 Must-Read Books of the Year'Mieko Kawakami is a genius' - Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times'An expertly told, deeply unsettling tale of adolescent violence' - VogueTranslated from the Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd.

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A fantastic bathtime adventure from the stellar picture-book partnership of Julia Donaldson and David Roberts – perfect for reading together.When everyone has left the house in the morning, the bath toys spring into action and head off on exciting adventures in their magical flying bath! From giving a muddy piglet a shower to putting out a fire for a frightened baboon, they have water at the ready for any emergency – but they're always home for the children's bathtime at the end of the day. With simple rhyming speech-bubble text from bestselling author Julia Donaldson, The Flying Bath is great to read aloud and perfect for developing reading confidence. This playful and adventurous story is brought to life by the richly detailed, sumptuous artwork of award-winning illustrator David Roberts, completing this irresistible book for young readers.Enjoy the other stories by Julia Donaldson and David Roberts: The Troll, Jack and the Flumflum Tree, Tyrannosaurus Drip and The Cook and the King.

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For fans of Scandinavian crime, Intrigo is the gripping collection of Håkan Nesser’s best novellas and short stories, three of which have been adapted into major motion pictures.Set in the fictional city of Maardam, each story is linked by themes of secrets coming to light, lies being exposed, and pasts coming back to haunt the people who thought they had fled them – all told in Håkan Nesser’s signature style of dark, cutting prose that displays a true understanding of human nature.The collection is the basis for a trilogy of international films - Dear Agnes, Death of an Author and Samaria - directed by Daniel Alfredson and starring Ben Kingsley and Gemma Chan.

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A Sunday Times Paperback of the YearA Spectator and New Statesman Book of the Year‘An illuminating and riveting read.’ - Jonathan DimblebyJeremy Bowen, the International Editor of the BBC, has been covering the Middle East since 1989 and is uniquely placed to explain its complex past and its troubled present. Here, Bowen offers readers a gripping and invaluable guide to the modern Middle East, how it came to be and what its future might hold.In The Making of the Modern Middle East – in part based on his acclaimed podcast, ‘Our Man in the Middle East’ – Bowen takes us on a journey across the Middle East and through its history. He meets ordinary men and women on the front line, their leaders, whether brutal or benign, and he explores the power games that have so often wreaked devastation on civilian populations as those leaders, whatever their motives, jostle for political, religious and economic control.Clear throughout is Bowen's deep understanding of the political, cultural and religious differences between countries as diverse as Erdogan’s Turkey, Assad’s Syria, Netanyahu’s Israel, and Palestine, whether Hamas-controlled Gaza or the West Bank, and his long experience of covering events in the region.

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Warning: this book contains a troll!Three brave little Viking girls save the day in this bold and funny adventure story for little rebels, by the creator of the New York Times Best Illustrated Book Little Red and I Can Catch a Monster, Bethan Woollvin.Once upon a time in a Viking village, everything seems to be going wrong. Chickens are disappearing, trees are falling down, and there's lots and lots of crashing and bashing. The silly Chieftain won't listen to the three littlest Vikings, but can they work together to solve the mystery and save the day?Three Little Vikings is all about cooperation, bravery, and getting your voice heard!

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A heartfelt and honest story, and an introduction to the Palestinian struggle for readers between nine and eleven years-old, set on the Israeli-occupied West Bank.Written by Elizabeth Laird, in collaboration with Sonia Nimr, a Palestinian archaeologist, storyteller, writer and translator, who lives in Ramallah.Twelve year-old Karim Aboudi lives with his family in Ramallah, on the West Bank of Palestine. After a terror attack takes place, they are trapped in their home, bound by a strict curfew enforced by the Israeli military. .Like any other child, Karim longs to play football with his mates – not to be stuck inside with his teenage brother and fearful parents.When the curfew ends, he and his friend discover an unused patch of ground that's the perfect site for a football pitch. Nearby, an old car hidden intact under bulldozed buildings makes a brilliant den.But in this city there's constant danger, even for schoolboys. And, when Israeli soldiers find Karim outside during the next curfew, it seems impossible that he will survive.'A fine book, and a daring book' – Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse'This book must go down as a brave, serious and successful attempt to reach out and have this story heard' – Michael Rosen, poet and author

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With an introduction by the Man Booker Prize-winning author of A Brief History of Seven Killings, Marlon James.Oreo has been raised by her maternal grandparents in Philadelphia. Her black mother tours with a theatrical troupe, and her Jewish deadbeat dad disappeared when she was an infant, leaving behind a mysterious note. Oreo’s quest is to find her father, and discover the secret of her birth.What ensues in Fran Ross's opus is a playful, modernized parody of the classical odyssey of Theseus with a feminist twist, immersed in seventies pop culture, and mixing standard English, black vernacular, and Yiddish with wisecracking aplomb.Oreo, our young hero, navigates the labyrinth of sound studios and brothels and subway tunnels in Manhattan, seeking to claim her birthright while unwittingly experiencing and triggering a mythic journey of self-discovery like no other.'Oreo's satire on racial identity reads like a story for our times . . . Could Oreo be this year's Stoner? – Observer‘A rollicking little masterpiece . . . one of the most delightful, hilarious, intelligent novels I’ve stumbled across in recent years’ – Paul Auster, author of The New York Trilogy.

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The chance to join 'the Revival of the Great Lucia Berlin' (New York Times)From the author of A Manual for Cleaning Women.Ranging from Texas, to Chile, to New Mexico and New York, in Evening in Paradise Berlin writes about the good, the bad and everything in between: struggling young mothers, husbands who pack their bags and leave in the middle of the night, wives looking back at their first marriage from the distance of their second . . .The publication of A Manual for Cleaning Women, Lucia Berlin’s dazzling collection of short stories, marked the rediscovery of a writer whose talent had gone unremarked by many. The incredible reaction to Lucia’s writing – her ability to capture the beauty and ugliness that coexist in everyday lives, the extraordinary honesty and magnetism with which she draws on her own history to breathe life into her characters – included calls for her contribution to American literature to be as celebrated as that of Raymond Carver.Evening in Paradise is a careful selection from Lucia Berlin’s remaining stories – a jewel-box follow-up for her hungry fans.

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'A powerful way to break even the most stubborn bad habit so you can live the life you deserve' – Steven Bartlett, The Diary of a CEOMap your habits, set your own goals and treat yourself with the kindness you truly deserve.Shahroo Izadi has a revolutionary message: treating yourself kindly is the only way to make changes that last. She is living proof that her method works – after years of yo-yo dieting she shed over eight stone (and has kept it off ever since). Professional training coupled with personal experience led her to develop The Kindness Method, a totally non-judgemental approach which turns strict regimes upside down to leave you feeling empowered, positive and ready to embrace change.In The Kindness Method, Behavioural Change Specialist Shahroo invites you first, to give yourself a break - life can be stressful - and then learn how to strengthen your willpower like a muscle so you can sustain motivation for the long haul. These techniques may seem gentle, but the results are life-changing because the plan is tailored to you, and they can work for everything from alcohol addiction to procrastination to weight loss. By using the same techniques that she has used to help substance addicts recover from dependence, you too will find that you have the power to change – for good.'A game-changing book' – Evening Standard

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George Grossmith enjoyed a successful career spanning four decades as an accomplished singer, comic actor and songwriter. He was particularly renowned for his performances in a number of Gilbert and Sullivan operas. His younger brother Weedon trained as an artist and worked as a portrait painter before turning his hand to acting and playwriting. The brothers shared a gift for comedy and from 1888 to 1889 they collaborated on a series of brilliantly observed columns in Punch magazine featuring the diary of an impossibly pompous lower-middle-class bank clerk named Charles Pooter. The Diary of a Nobody went on to be published in book form in 1892 and it has been in print ever since.

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'A delightfully quirky sturdy . . . [Flanders] is a meticulour historian with a taste for the offbeat; the story of the alphabet suits her well . . . Fascinating.' Sunday TimesOnce we've learned it as children, few of us think much of the alphabet and its familiar sing-song order. And yet the order of the alphabet continues to play a major role in our adult lives. From school registers to electoral rolls, from dictionaries and encyclopaedias to library shelves, our lives have been ordered from A to Z. Long before Google searches, this magical system of organization gave us the ability to sort through centuries of thought, knowledge and literature, allowing us to sift, file, and find the information we have, and to locate the information we need.In A Place for Everything, acclaimed historian Judith Flanders fascinatingly lays out the gradual triumph of alphabetical order, from its use as a sorting tool in the Great Library of Alexandria to its current decline in prominence in the digital age. Along the way, the reader encounters a wonderful cast of characters,from the great collector Robert Cotton, who catalogued his manuscripts by the names of the busts of the Roman emperors surmounting his book cases, to the unassuming sixteenth-century London bookseller who ushered in a revolution by listing his authors by 'sirname' first.'One of the many fascinations of Judith Flanders' book is that it reveals what a weird, unlikely creation the alphabet is.' Guardian

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Three women. Three countries. One unforgettable journey. The Braid is a vibrant and singular reminder of what connects us all – across borders, across languages, across cultures.‘A beautifully written novel of determination, bravery, and hope. You will remember Smita, Giulia, and Sarah long after you’ve read their stories.’ – AJ Pearce, author of Dear Mrs Bird In India, Smita is an untouchable. She dreams of giving her young daughter an education and will go to any length to make that happen, including leaving behind all she knows in search of a better future. In Sicily, Giulia works in her father’s wig workshop, the last of its kind in Palermo. When her father is the victim of a serious accident, she discovers that her family’s livelihood is at stake. In Canada, Sarah is a twice-divorced mother of three children and a successful lawyer whose identity is wrapped up in her work. Just as she expects the promotion she’s been working her entire career for, she learns she has breast cancer. 'Laetitia Colombani is master at the art of storytelling.' – Le Monde

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Silent Night is an unforgettable story of love, heartache, and the strength we draw from those we love. Escape with the world’s favourite storyteller, Danielle Steel, at her most moving and compelling.Paige Watts is the ultimate stage mother. The daughter of Hollywood royalty, Paige channels her own acting dreams into making her daughter, Emma, a star. By the age of nine, Emma is playing a central role in a hit TV show. Then everything is shattered by unforeseeable tragedy.Now Emma is living with her Aunt Whitney, who had chosen a very different path from Paige. Whitney was always the career-driven older sister, loving a no-strings relationship and hating the cult of celebrity that enveloped her family. But at a moment’s notice, Whitney must change her life in every way. Will the rewards of motherhood make up for the life she left behind?Emotionally involving and deeply inspiring, Silent Night explores how the heart has mysterious healing powers of its own, and that sometimes the best things happen when we think all is lost . . .

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Explore the busy town, bustling seaside and look up in the air in First Explorers: Things That Go! Spot cars, boats and fire engines, as well as lots of other things that go all around us.Each scene has chunky push, pull and slide mechanisms perfect for little hands and vehicles to spot with fun facts about them. Beautifully illustrated by Christiane Engel, this title provides gentle early learning and is a wonderful introduction to science topics for small children.Discover more in the First Explorers series: Night Animals, Sea Creatures, In the Jungle, Dinosaurs, My Body, Astronauts, Wild Animals, Brilliant Bugs, Snowy Animals

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Spring, summer, autumn or winter - the intrepid Weather Girls are ready for whatever the seasons might bring! Join them as they stomp through autumn leaves, enjoy a summer swim, explore the lush green forests and climb a snowy mountain. There is so much to experience and discover when you jump up and step outside with this lively group of friends. Get inspired and get active with this stylish book all about the magic of the seasons, the wonders of the outside world and the fun you can have with good friends. The Weather Girls is a charming, rhyming story with striking illustrations and additional nature facts from illustrator, Aki.

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Shortlisted for the Booker Prize, Dirt Music by Tim Winton is a novel about the power of love.Georgie Jutland is a mess. At forty, with her career in ruins, she finds herself stranded with a man she doesn't love and two kids whose dead mother she can never replace. She spends her days in isolated tedium and her nights in a blur of vodka and self-recrimination. Until, early one morning, she sees a shadow drifting up the beach below her house. It is Luther Fox, an outcast, a man on the run from his own past. And now here he is stepping into Georgie’s life. He brings hope, maybe even love, but also danger . . .'Compelling' Independent'Beautiful' Sunday Telegraph

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They could find a bright future . . . or the end of everything. From Peter F. Hamilton, The Evolutionary Void is the startling conclusion to the Void trilogy, set in the world of the Commonwealth Saga.Millions of Leaving Dream pilgrims have boarded ships, and are speeding towards the Void at the centre of the galaxy. They are chasing their dream ­– and expect to find paradise. Yet breaching the Void will trigger its expansion, destroying everything in its path.Paula Myo is desperate to find Void’s latest prophet – Second Dreamer Araminta. As without her, the ships can’t enter the Void. But when Araminta finally chooses her path, it will change things in ways no one could have imagined. And within the Void, Edeard realizes the price of peace may be too high. However, what will this mean for the pilgrims – and the galaxy beyond?'A huge achievement in science fiction' – SciFiNow

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A morbid assassination – or something even darker? A Quantum Murder is the thrilling second book featuring Greg Mandel, the cyberpunk detective with psychic powers, from Peter F. Hamilton. Dr Edward Kitchener was a brilliant researcher into quantum cosmology. When he is found dead, lungs spread on either side of his open chest, his employers, Event Horizon, want to know what happened – and fast. Many were anxious to stop Kitchener's work, and could have paid an assassin’s fee. And only a mercenary could’ve breached Launde Abbey’s premier-grade security system. Yet why would a professional waste time ritually slaughtering the target?Greg Mandel, the psi-boosted ex-private eye, is enticed out of retirement to track the killer. He launches himself on a convoluted trail which will mean confronting the past. But – according to Kitchener's theories – this past might never have happened . . .A Quantum Murder is followed by The Nano Flower to complete the Greg Mandel trilogy.

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The first in the Night's Dawn trilogy, The Reality Dysfunction is a sweeping, intergalactic adventure from the master of space opera, Peter F. Hamilton. For fans of Iain M. Banks and Alastair Reynolds.An extinct race named this phenomenon 'the Reality Dysfunction'. It is a nightmare that has haunted us since the dawn of time . . .In AD 2600, the human race is finally realizing its potential. The galaxy’s colonized planets host a multitude of diverse cultures. Genetic engineering has defeated disease and produced extraordinary space-born creatures. Huge fleets of sentient trader starships thrive, living on the wealth created by industrializing entire star systems. And throughout inhabited space, the Confederation Navy keeps the peace.Then something goes catastrophically wrong. On a primitive colony planet, a renegade criminal encounters an utterly alien entity. And this unintended meeting triggers the release of those that should never see the light – threatening everything we’ve become . . .'Hamilton puts British sci-fi back into interstellar overdrive' – The TimesThe Reality Dysfunction is followed by The Neutronium Alchemist and The Naked God.

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In this incredible sequel to Pandora's Star, the Commonwealth Saga goes out with a bang. Judas Unchained is a stunning, expansive space opera from one of the world's bestselling science fiction writers, Peter F. Hamilton.Our worlds are under invasion – and only the impossible can save us now . . .Over hundreds of years, the human race has been manipulated into starting a war. And it's one that could destroy our entire civilization. Chief Investigator Paula Myo is nominated to hunt the creature behind this ploy, while our invasion continues and multiple worlds fall to the enemy. In response, Admiral Kime commands humanity's defense, marshaling war-ready super-weapons. Yet he discovers his adversaries wield equally powerful armaments. The question is – where did these come from? Has the Commonwealth's top-secret defense project been compromised, or is the truth even worse than we can imagine? The Commonwealth Saga duology starts with Pandora's Star. 'If Pandora’s Star represented a return to form, Judas Unchained is even better' - Guardian

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