Search results for ""Escape""

Her dream escape is about to become a nightmare… Kimberley King has spent the last five years trying to outrun the reason she left the police force. Her life is a mess and she’s desperate for change. So when she is randomly selected for the new series of the hit show LoveWrecked, she can’t pass up the chance to win the £100,000 prize. All Kimberley needs to do is couple up with one of her fellow contestants, win the infamous LoveWrecked challenges, and she will have enough cash for a fresh start.But the island isn’t the paradise she was promised and within hours, one of the contestants is dead. Then the announcement comes: one of the islanders is a murderer and Kimberley must find out who, live on television. For every hour it takes her, one more person will die. The game is rigged, everyone is hiding secrets, and time is running out… An addictive and unputdownable crime thriller, perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and T.M. Logan.Readers are loving The Islanders A Grazia Best Book of 2021‘Sinister and twisty, The Islanders shows the terrifying darker side of reality TV … An utterly compelling read.’ Lisa Hall, author of The Party‘The Islanders is a confident debut with a crackling mystery at its heart. Anyone who has ever thought a murder might spice up a reality show will have a fantastic time with this wonderfully frenetic and wildly entertaining read.’ Chris McGeorge, author of Guess Who‘I found it highly addictive, which of course, led me to finishing this book off in the early hours of the morning! This is a great thriller with an end that feels suited to its surroundings.’ Crimesquad‘What a thrilling ride! I Know What You Did Last Summer meets Love Island! Fast paced and fresh – essential reading for fans of a murder mystery!’ Carys Jones, author of The List‘The Islanders is an energetic, fast-paced ride you won't be able to put down.’ NetGalley Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘A great story, fast-paced, I loved it!’ NetGalley Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘An addictive, mysterious thriller which keeps you gripped right until the last page! I absolutely loved this book!’ NetGalley Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘Such fun! I absolutely loved this book.’ NetGalley Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘If you love a good locked room mystery that will keep you on your toes as well as entertained until the very last page, I can highly recommend this debut. I will definitely be hoping to see more of her work in the future!’ NetGalley Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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A staggering debut novel of murder, loyalty, love, and survival at all costs, set in the teeming underbelly of Calcutta's most infamous neighbourhood.In Calcutta's notorious red-light district, Lalee aspires to a better life. Her unfailingly loyal client Tilu Shau has dreams too. A heady romantic and marginal novelist, Tilu is in love with the indifferent Lalee and wants to liberate her from her street life with marriage. But when a fellow sex worker and young mother is brutally murdered, the solicitous madam of the Blue Lotus invites Lalee to take the woman's place "upstairs" as a high-end escort. The offer comes with the promise of a more lucrative life but quickly spirals into violence, corruption, and unfathomable secrets that threaten to upset the fragile stability of Lalee's very existence. As Tilu is drawn deeper into his rescue mission, he and Lalee embark on life-altering journeys to escape a savage fate.As much a page-turner as it is poignant, Small Deaths is a brilliantly drawn modern noir that exposes the reality of society's preyed-upon outcasts, their fierce resilience, and the dangerous impediments that stand in the way of their dignity, love, and survival.'Rijula Das has evaded the prevalent tropes of writing. It is very difficult to pin down the genre she is writing in — is it a love story, for instance; is it a murder mystery; is it a novel about social justice? The book gives light to the popular and wrong notion that literature needs to necessarily be heavy. It manages to achieve everything that good literature does while at the same time being entertaining. It is full of beautiful humorous touches and outstanding at zooming in to details.' — Judges of the JCB Prize for Literature 2021'An intensely gripping tale of a crime and an investigation set against the dark side of the city of Calcutta; yet, at the same time, it is a story that is luminous with redeeming touches of love and hope, and a final sense of justice.' — Judges of the Tata Literature Live! First Book Award 2021'Rijula Das’s book is as gripping as the best crime fiction but also as intricate and well constructed as good literature should be. It’s relentless action, but the characters are not caricatures…The observations are so acute and at the same time so funny.' — Amit Varma'Rijula Das surprises you with everything in this book: the writing, the scenes, the characters, the story. A debut you cannot stop reading.' — Arunava Sinha'Addictive and hilarious. Rijula Das is a writer to watch.' — Avni Doshi, author of Burnt Sugar, shortlisted for the Booker Prize'It takes a keen insight to portray women like Lalee, Maya, Amina, and Sonia in all their profundity and shallowness. Das knows her women well.' — Feminism in India

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'Thoroughly entertaining. The characters are warm and well drawn. I thoroughly recommend this book if you are looking for a light-hearted read. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐' SUE ROBERTS'I loved spending time on Shetland with this story!' CHRISTINA COURTENAYIf you love Lucy Diamond, Phillipa Ashley, Sue Moorcroft and Holly Martin, you'll LOVE Erin Green's novels of love, life and laughter!'Wow! Reading this book was like comfrey tea. The more it fermented the better it got' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'What a lovely and uplifting read. I really really enjoyed it. Definitely one of my faves from 2021 so far!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A perfect heartwarming read which has provided a great escape' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Loved this thoroughly feel good read & now I'm just off into my garden to plant some carrot seedlings!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐...................................Friendship can blossom in the most unexpected places . . .When Jemima loses her beloved grandfather, keeping his allotment alive seems like the ideal way to feel close to him. She's never fitted in before - is this her chance to find where she really belongs?Finally Melissa has the allotment she's been longing for to distract her while her husband works away - even if it is chest-high in weeds. But when she looks for help in the wrong place, she finds she's the hottest topic of gossip. For Dottie, her allotment and part-time job of 'a little light dusting' at Lerwick Manor keeps a spring in her eighty-year-old step - and her ears open for secrets.Though generations apart, these three women are about to find a common bond in a new-found passion and that true friendship can grow anywhere....................................Don't miss any of Erin Green's gloriously uplifting reads in Lerwick - look out for From Shetland, With Love at Christmas, Sunny Stays at the Shetland Hotel and A Shetland Christmas Carol - perfect for any season!You are invited to holiday at gorgeous Rose Cottage - where friendship, home comforts and romance are guaranteed . . . look for New Beginnings at Rose Cottage - out now! 'Utterly charming . . . an uplifting and optimistic story' Hot Brands Cool PlacesIf you don't ask you'll never know . . . don't miss Taking a Chance on Love - out now!'An amazing book and makes you really think that your dreams of changing your life can really happen' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐The author has the knack of making her characters spring off the pages so real that you'll care about them' Peterborough TelegraphAnd welcome to the lakeside cottage...where friendship awaits! Pre-order Erin Green's next novels Summer Dreams at the Lakeside Cottage and Christmas Wishes at the Lakeside Cottage now!

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"Lush, engrossing and full of mystery and dark magic" (BookPage), Labyrinth's Heart is the thrilling conclusion to M. A. Carrick's Rook & Rose trilogy, in which a con artist, a vigilante, and a crime lord become reluctant allies in the quest to save their city from a dangerous ancient magic.May you see the face and not the mask.Ren came to Nadežra with a plan. She would pose as the long-lost daughter of the noble house Traementis. She would secure a fortune for herself and her sister. And she would vanish without a backward glance. She ought to have known that in the city of dreams, nothing is ever so simple.Now, she is Ren, con-artist and thief. But she is also Renata, the celebrated Traementis heir. She is Arenza, the mysterious pattern-reader and political rebel. And she is the Black Rose, a vigilante who fights alongside the legendary Rook. Even with the help of Grey Serrado and Derossi Vargo, it is too many masks for one person to wear. And as the dark magic the three of them helped unleash builds to storm that could tear the very fabric of the city apart, it's only a matter of time before one of the masks slips-and everything comes crashing down around them.'The Mask of Mirrors is exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving: an escape into a vast, enchanting world of danger, secret identities, and glittering prose' Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne'The Mask of Mirrors kept me up reading way past my bedtime. A web of intrigue, magic, and the art of the con this novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping'Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars'The Mask of Mirrors ushers you into the fascinating city of Nadezra, replete with complex politics, intricate magic, and mysteries that readers will be racing to unravel. Wonderfully immersive--I was unable to put it down'Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter'An intricate, compelling dream of a book that kept me turning pages, with a world and characters that felt deeply real and plenty of riveting twists and turns. I loved it!'Melissa Caruso, author of The Obsidian Tower'For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay' Booklist (starred review)'Utterly captivating. Carrick spins an exciting web of mystery, magic, and political treachery in a richly drawn and innovative world.' S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

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Sunday Times Top 5 bestselling author Harriet Evans returns with an unputdownable tale of the infinite possibilities of families - how they can anchor you or unseat you - and why unconditional love holds the key to true freedom. 'A boldly sombre atmosphere haunts the latest novel by Harriet Evans, the doyenne of [commercial fiction]' Observer'Immersive, engrossing and ultimately beautiful' Marian Keyes'No one except Harriet Evans writes books like this anymore; The Stargazers is a work of genius and a future classic' Jane Casey'Don't you think there should be a name for people like us?' he said. 'Who look up and who dream of more, who dream of escaping? Who never lose faith, no matter how hard it becomes?''Stargazers,' I said. 'That's what we are'It's the 1970s, and Sarah has spent a lifetime trying to bury memories of her childhood: the constant fear, the horror of her school days, and Fane, the vast, crumbling house that was the sole obsession of her mother, Iris, a woman as beautiful as she was cruel. Sarah's solace has been her cello and the music that allowed her to dream, transporting her from the bleakness of those early years to her new life with her husband Daniel in their safe, if slightly chaotic, Hampstead home and with a concert career that has brought her fame and restored a sense of self.The past, though, has a habit of creeping into the present, and as long as Sarah tries to escape, it seems the pull of her mother, Fane Hall and the secrets hidden there cannot be suppressed, threatening to unravel the fragile happiness she enjoys now. Sarah will need to travel back to Fane to confront her childhood, and search for the true meaning of home.Deliciously absorbing and rich with character and atmosphere, The Stargazers is the story of a house, a family, and finding the strength inside yourself to carry on.Readers love The Stargazers:'I absolutely loved this book . . . it was both beautiful and melancholy. Harriet never disappoints' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'The Stargazers might just be her best yet . . . a beautifully written, atmospheric page-turner full of unforgettable characters, a book that will stay with you. Highly recommended' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This is a beautiful and absorbing tale - one that I couldn't put down until the last page' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A stunningly good read from an author who never disappoints . . . A riveting story from beginning to end, thoroughly entertaining and compelling' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'It captivated me right from the start . . . an emotional read with some great twists' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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A mesmeric, harrowing and uplifting childhood memoir that will open up much-needed conversations about identity and mental health'This will blow you away'- Stylist'Joly's prose is sensitive and heartbreaking...darkly compelling' - Business Post'An extraordinary and thought-provoking memoir' - Belfast TelegraphIt was an ordinary day in 2016. In Gatwick Airport, Jonathan and his wife Anna were having breakfast with their two little children while waiting for their flight to be called. And then it happened, a familiar sensation that Jonathan hadn't had for decades: an out-of-body experience that transported him to another place, the safe place he used to escape to in his mind when he was a boy. Because growing up in conservative 1980s Dublin, where there was little tolerance for children who were 'different', Jonathan Joly was, indeed, a different sort of child: creative, expressive, and - on the inside - a girl. The limitations of the people around him to understand his differences led to years of tyrannical bullying and abuse, forcing him to withdraw within himself to the point of clinical absence. His only chance for survival was the inner world he created for himself, rich with loving and supportive friends and playmates, that only he could see. Jonathan's invisible friends were his lifeline, and on that day at the airport, they came flooding back, and have remained with him to this day. This extraordinary childhood memoir is not only an important, thought-provoking and exhilarating read, it gives hope and community for all those who have ever felt 'other', and proves how vital it is to provide children with the safe space to be themselves. In All My Friends are Invisible, Jonathan Joly, known widely as one of social media's most successful content creators, shares the secret he's kept hidden these many years. He shows the beautiful world he retreated to time and time again when life was unbearable for his 'skin machine'. Most importantly, he introduces us to his invisible friends, and in so doing you may be transported back to the friends you had as a child that no one else could see, and who may have saved you, too.'When you find yourself living in a world that doesn't understand you, and you lack any connection to anyone or any place, you are faced with few options. You can choose to leave this world and hope whatever lies beyond ends up being better, or you can create your own. It will require grit, hardship, pain and suffering, but the rewards will be great, and the journey will be greater, and the adventures will be endless. So, at a very young age and faced with these options, I chose the latter.'

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Solana Sina is a scarab, salvaging wrecked and abandoned space habitats among the Billion Worlds of the Tenth Millennium. She and an oddball crew—a raven, a cyborg, and a dinosaur—board the derelict colony Safdaghar, hoping to score some loot before the colony gets catapulted into the outer reaches of the Solar System. But Solana and the scarabs come face-to-face with a gang of vicious pirates looking for slaves and treasure, and a mysterious stranger intent on preserving an explosive secret. Solana must overcome her own horrifying past to survive and escape before it’s too late. But there’s an even more dangerous threat lurking in the dark passages and ruined buildings of Safdaghar . . . About The Godel Operation: “With this freewheeling story of an ancient, cunning artificial intelligence and its naïve human companion, Cambias (The Initiate) mashes humor, mystery, and looming apocalypse into a roundly satisfying space epic. . . . With plenty of fun moments along the way, this raucous adventure through the solar system’s distant future will appeal to any fan of lighter science fiction.”—Publishers Weekly "Cambias makes his solar system feel very alive, with wildly different cultures on different planets and moons... It is far-future space opera that is astronomically contained, and written with a lightning bolt."—Warped Factor Praise for Arkad's World: “Far-flung adventure . . . Cambias offers up an entertaining coming-of-age novel filled with action and surprises. His aliens are suitably non-human in mannerisms, attitudes, and objectives, and his worldbuilding suggests a vast universe ready for further exploration. Readers . . . will find this hits the spot.”—Publishers Weekly “. . . a classic quest story, a well-paced series of encounters with different folk along the way, building momentum toward a final confrontation with Arkad’s past . . . [with] a delicious twist to the end.”—ALA Booklist “Cambias has achieved a feat of world-building: an expansive, believable setting with fascinating aliens, compelling mysteries, and a rich sense of history.”—Bookpage “Drop a teenage boy into a distant planet chock full of colorful aliens—with troubles all their own. Stir, flavor, apply heat. A tour de force in the field, and great, quick fun.”—Gregory Benford Praise for the work of James L. Cambias: “Beautifully written, with a story that captures the imagination the way SF should.”—Booklist, starred review “An engaging nail-biter that is exciting, fun and a satisfying read.”—The Qwillery “An impressive debut by a gifted writer.”—Publishers Weekly starred review “An exceptionally thoughtful, searching and intriguing debut.”—Kirkus starred review “James Cambias will be one of the century's major names in hard science fiction.”—Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award–winning author of Red Planet Blues “Fast-paced, pure quill hard science fiction. . . . Cambias delivers adroit plot pivots that keep the suspense coming.”—Gregory Benford, Nebula Award-winning author of Timescape

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"Impossible Flying" is Dawes' most personal and universal collection, 'telling family secrets to strangers'. There are moments of transcendence, but often there is 'no epiphany, just the dire cadence of regret' since the failures of the past cannot be undone, and there is no escape from human vulnerability, the disappointment of hopes, bodily decay and death. From that bleak acceptance comes a chastened consolation, and as for poems, 'they are fine and they always find a way to cope/they outlast everything, cynical to the last foot.' The family secrets focus primarily on the triangular relationship between the poet, his father and younger brother, though in "For Mama" there is a heartfelt and deeply moving acknowledgement of the rocklike unconditionality of a mother's love and care for her family's wounded souls. As ever with Dawes' collections, the rewards come not only from the individual poems, but also from their careful arrangement, internal conversations and from the overarching meanings that emerge from the architecture of the four sections. "Legend" begins the exploration of family mythology and the special place of the youngest brother and the hubristic hopes invested in him. "Estimated Prophet" gives context to the process of the brother's descent into madness and their father's collapse into despair and premature death in the condition of Jamaica in the 1980s when cold war politics and tribal wars brought an end to the dreams of the socialistic 70s, 'that valiant, austere decade'. Here the comic vision of the first section cannot be sustained in writing about 'those chaotic seven years of dust'. This section also deepens the counter-discourse of self-reflection on the act of writing the poems: the confessions of impersonation ('I have stolen much...') and the ambivalent space between history and myth in the filtering of memory and constructed family narratives. The third section, "Brother Love" is set in the present and deals with the renewal of relationship with the brother and the guilty respite of being away 'from the long lament', with marriage, children and 'the peace and constancy/of new homes, while old homes seem/to crumble about us.' The last section, "For My Little Brother" explores the difficult dialogue between these two worlds, between a past that is unalterable and a present that is shaped by it, but that contains its own possibilities. "Impossible Flying" is deeply felt writing that has an intensity and tautness which, if not new in Dawes' work, rises to new levels of eloquence. It is impossible to read this collection without feeling that one's consciousness of what it means to be human has been immeasurably deepened, or without wanting to constantly return to the poems.

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Lonely Planet's Experience Scotland travel guide reveals exciting new ways to explore this iconic destination with one-of-a-kind adventures at every turn. Visit the infamous Malt Whisky Trail, devour fresh lobster platters in Oban, escape to white sand beaches in Harris – using our local experts and planning tools to create your own unique trip.Inside Lonely Planet's Experience Scotland:Local experts share their love for the real Scotland offering fresh perspectives into the country's traditions, values and modern trends to make your travel experience even more meaningfulIn the know tips to help you build on your experiences when visiting well-known sights and landmarksFun insights that will pique your curiosity and take you to the heart of the place – sip a wee dram at Machir Bay's idyllic whisky beach tasting; discover witches and wizards in the world's first City of Literature; marvel at Glasgow's magnificent street art murals on a vibrant walking tourInsider scoop on the best festivals, secret hangouts, hidden locations, tantalising local food scene and photo-worthy viewsHandy seasonal trip planner to guide you on where to go, when to travel and what to packPractical information on money, getting around, unique and local ways to stay, and responsible travelComprehensive selection of maps throughout and beautiful full-colour photography to inspire you as you plan your unforgettable journeyCovers Edinburgh, Glasgow, Southern Scotland, Stirling, Fife & Perthshire, The Northeast, Southern Highlands & Islands, Central Highlands, Northern Highlands, Skye & the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, ShetlandLonely Planet's Experience Scotland is an essential travel guide for all explorers looking to immerse themselves in the Scottish way of life. Each book within the Experience series contains handy trip building tools so that you can take your pick of the must-see attractions and activities as suggested by our local experts – and create your own dream travel itinerary to get away from the everyday. Unlock even more travel secrets using the QR codes throughout each guide and discover story-worthy travel moments that you'll never forget.About Lonely Planet:Lonely Planet, a Red Ventures Company, is the world's number one travel guidebook brand. Providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973, Lonely Planet reaches hundreds of millions of travellers each year online and in print and helps them unlock amazing experiences. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com and join our community of followers on Facebook (facebook.com/lonelyplanet), Twitter (@lonelyplanet), Instagram (instagram.com/lonelyplanet), and TikTok (@lonelyplanet)."...these new Experience guides from Lonely Planet are irresistibly attractive." - The Washington Post Book Club"Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world." – Fairfax Media (Australia)

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Reveals sacred spiritual tools to connect with the love, passion, and creative powers of the Great Mother for spiritual transformation • Explores the three faces of the Great Mother’s love and wisdom in our lives and how to build our magician’s wand, which enables us to be masters of our creativity • Details the journey of the soul through the twelve signs of the zodiac to integrate the shadow self and embody the soul’s true light • Explains how we are being called to birth a new world, one that embraces the divine feminine qualities of intuition, emotional creative power, and rhythmic renewal The year 2012 marked the birth of a new cycle of time that will last for the next 26,000 years. In charge of such birth is the Great Mother, the eternal source of all creation. She is calling on the feminine within us all to create a world worthy of the next seven generations and begin an era of peace, abundance, and spiritual evolution. To birth this new world, we must release our hold on old destructive patterns and instead embrace the divine feminine qualities of intuition, powerful creativity, and rhythmic renewal. As Christine Page reveals, the Great Mother hears our heart’s yearning to escape our old ways of suffering and struggle to find peace, fulfillment, and joy. She is reaching out to us across the dimensions, offering spiritual initiation and the chance to know ourselves fully right now. Dr. Page explains how important it is to acknowledge and integrate our shadow selves--the unloved parts of us--so we can radiate our light from the fullness of who we are without shame or judgment. Drawing on alchemy and mythology, the author details the journey of the soul through the twelve signs of the zodiac until our inner light shines. She also explores how to connect with and use sacred spiritual tools to open our hearts and merge with the Great Mother’s love and creative powers. Exploring the mythology of the Triple Goddess, the author explains how the three faces of the Great Mother help us on our spiritual journey of transformation: As virgin she inspires us to manifest our dreams. As mother, she teaches us to celebrate and nurture all living things, especially ourselves. As crone, she shows us that creativity changes like the seasons, encouraging us not to be possessed by our creations but to embrace mystery and impermanence. Finally, the Great Mother emboldens us to build our magician’s wand, the rod of light along the spine which enables us to be masters of our creativity, bringing forth transformation for ourselves and generations of children still to come as we embark into a new era of expanded consciousness and love.

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Joseph Bonaparte, King of Naples and Spain, claimed that he had never wanted the overpowering roles thrust upon him by his illustrious younger brother Napoleon. Left to his own devices, he would probably have been a lawyer in his native Corsica, a country gentleman with leisure to read the great literature he treasured and oversee the maintenance of his property. When Napoleon's downfall forced Joseph into exile, he was able to become that country gentleman at last, but in a place he could scarcely have imagined. It comes as a surprise to most people that Joseph spent seventeen years in the United States following Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. In The Man Who Had Been King, Patricia Tyson Stroud has written a rich account—drawing on unpublished Bonaparte family letters—of this American exile, much of it passed in regal splendor high above the banks of the Delaware River in New Jersey. Upon his escape from France in 1815, Joseph arrived in the new land with a fortune in hand and shortly embarked upon building and fitting out the magnificent New Jersey estate he called Point Breeze. The palatial house was filled with paintings and sculpture by such luminaries as David, Canova, Rubens, and Titian. The surrounding park extended to 1,800 acres of luxuriously landscaped gardens, with twelve miles of carriage roads, an artificial lake, and a network of subterranean tunnels that aroused much local speculation. Stroud recounts how Joseph became friend and host to many of the nation's wealthiest and most cultivated citizens, and how his art collection played a crucial role in transmitting high European taste to America. He never ceased longing for his homeland, however. Despite his republican airs, he never stopped styling himself as "the Count de Survilliers," a noble title he fabricated on his first flight from France in 1814, when Napoleon was exiled to Elba, nor did he ever learn more than rudimentary English. Although he would repeatedly plead with his wife to join him, he was not a faithful husband, and Stroud narrates his affairs with an American and a Frenchwoman, both of whom bore him children. Yet he continued to feel the separation from his two legitimate daughters keenly and never stopped plotting to ensure the dynastic survival of the Bonapartes. In the end, the man who had been king returned to Europe, where he was eventually interred next to the tomb of his brother in Les Invalides. But the legacy of Joseph Bonaparte in America remains, and it is this that Patricia Tyson Stroud has masterfully uncovered in a book that is sure to appeal to lovers of art and gardens and European and American history.

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Revel in Huck Finn’s adventure on the Mississippi River in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the American masterpiece by Mark Twain. “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called ‘Huckleberry Finn.’” —Ernest Hemingway A favorite among young readers and adults alike, Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, first published in 1884, is considered to be the author’s masterpiece, as well as one of the best American novels ever written.In order to escape his abusive father, Huckleberry Finn fakes his own death. He meets up with the runaway slave Jim, and the two begin a new, carefree life on a raft traversing the Mississippi River. Despite their travels bringing them more trouble than expected and the fear of being returned to their old lives, Huck Finn and Jim form a bond that helps protect them from the judgments of a hypocritical society that claims to value civilization even as it benefits from the horror of slavery. Many readers see Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a children’s book because Huck is a boy. However, the book’s moral themes and metaphors are relevant for almost any age and situation. Huck rejects his Aunt Sally’s attempts to protect him in favor of entering the unknown wild. He simply values his own personal freedom and sense above all else—a quintessential American trait. Complete and unabridged, this elegantly designed, jacketed hardcover edition features an introduction by American literature scholar and professor Steven Frye and a timeline of the life and times of Mark Twain. Essential volumes for the shelves of every classic literature lover, the Chartwell Classics series includes beautifully presented works and collections from some of the most important authors in literary history. Chartwell Classics are the editions of choice for the most discerning literature buffs. Other titles in the Chartwell Classics Series include: Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft; Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales; Complete Novels of Jane Austen; Complete Sherlock Holme; Complete Tales & Poems of Edgar Allen Poe; Complete Works of William Shakespeare; Divine Comedy; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Other Tales; The Essential Tales of H.P. Lovecraft; The Federalist Papers; The Inferno; The Call of the Wild and White Fang; Moby Dick; The Odyssey; Pride and Prejudice; The Essential Grimm’s Fairy Tales; Emma; The Great Gatsby; The Secret Garden; Anne of Green Gables; The Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe; The Phantom of the Opera; The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital; Republic; Frankenstein; Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea; The Picture of Dorian Gray; Meditations; Wuthering Heights; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass; A Tales of Two Cities; Beowulf; The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories; Little Women

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Having reunited his companions, the Doctor decides to lift their spirits by treating each of them to a trip to their home world. On Kaldor Liv is confronted by a face from her past, and on Earth Helen must summon all her skill and knowledge to help save her friends from eternal damnation. But try as they might to stay out of danger, dark forces are emerging. Dark enough to strike fear into the hearts of a Time Lord. 2.1 Escape from Kaldor by Matt Fitton. Returning to a home world she'd rather forget, Liv reluctantly accompanies Helen to the grand opening of a luxury shopping mall. But when a glitch in the system sends the Robots of Death on a rampage, Liv's past comes crashing down about her. 2.2 Better Watch Out by John Dorney. The Doctor hopes to take Liv's mind off recent events by treating his companions to a traditional European Christmas. But not everybody is full of the spirit of Christmas when a wave of misery follows the Krampus as they run through the streets of Salzburg.2.3 Fairytale of Salzburg by John Dorney With the Doctor and most of the population condemned to hell, Liv and Helen race against time to discover the source of all this chaos, and to find the one man who can save the people of Salzburg from eternal damnation. 2.4 Seizure by Guy Adams. As if it wasn't enough to be trapped in the labyrinth of a dying TARDIS and pursued by a ghost, the team find themselves face to face once more with the Eleven. But the Doctor has bigger things to worry about when he discovers they're being hunted by the only creature to strike fear into the hearts of a Time Lord: The Ravenous. Big Finish's run of Eighth Doctor adventures star Paul McGann reprising his much loved portrayal of the Eighth incarnation of TV's Time Lord, and cover both single adventures and epic boxed set arcs! This new set kicked off with Series 1, including a return for one of the Doctor's most grisly foes: the Kandyman, while this set includes fan favourite the Robots of Death! CAST: Paul McGann (The Doctor), Nicola Walker (Liv Chenka), Hattie Morahan (Helen Sinclair), Mark Bonnar (The Eleven), Claire Rushbrook (Tula Chenka / SV111 / SV23), Richard Popple( Kit Laver), David Rintoul (Galla Posca),Tracy Wiles(Hadway / Salma / V75),John Dorney (Sol / Security Guard / Comtech / V21 / V616), Jamie Newall (Shafranek),Carla Mendonca (Waltraud Raither / Imp 1), Kate Rawson (Inge / Imp 2),Ewan Goddard (Christophe / Krampus Runner), Robert Whitelock (Bruno / Vagabond / Priest), Siân Phillips (Pilgrim), Raad Rawi (Bishop) Kate Duchêne(AntoniaWerner), Susan Hingley (Maria Werner), Pippa Haywood (Jaxa), George Asprey (Ravenous).

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From London to Paris, sealed with a kiss...'A wonderful fresh new talent' KATIE FFORDE'Delightful!' JANE WENHAM-JONES'A genuinely witty and original romance I loved it!' WOMAN MAGAZINEA warm contemporary romance set in Paris and London, French Kissing was the winner of Woman Magazine's romantic fiction competition. Perfect for fans of Sue Moorcroft and Miranda Dickinson.Anna Mitchel has been writing letters to her French penfriend, Alexandre Tourville, for fifteen years, but hasn't seen him since an exchange trip when they were at school. When Alex, now a successful photographer, comes to work in London, Anna offers to put him up, and is astounded to discover that the small, geeky boy she remembers is now tall, broad-shouldered and gorgeous.Anna's female friends are soon swooning over Alex's Gallic charm, and Anna's boyfriend Nick is increasingly jealous of her friendship with an attractive single man. Then Alex has to return to Paris to oversee the hanging of his photographs in an exhibition, and invites Anna to accompany him so that he can show her the city he adores...________Readers LOVE Lynne's swoon-worthy romances:'Finally! Fiction that I didn't want to end, yet couldn't put down! This is a novel that leaves a genuinely lasting impression on many a level... Passionate and authentic to the end. Thank you Lynne Shelby' Amazon reviewer'Shelby's writing style transports you so completely into the world of her characters that I actually dreamt about Owen Somers! I loved reading this book and found it to be the perfect balance of romantic, unpredictable and fast paced. I really didn't want it to end' Amazon reviewer'This was a perfect weekend read. It whisked me away from rainy reality to the glamorous celebrity world in London... The story raced along with plenty of twists and turns; I had no idea how it was going to end, or which way I wanted it to end. Warm-hearted, romantic and beautifully written - I loved it' Amazon reviewer'Lynne Shelby has given us a glamorous, fun and compulsive read in her fabulous The One That I Want. I was rooting for the heroine Lucy all the way through and enjoyed every twist and turn of the plot... I thoroughly recommend this fresh, sparkling book - it's the one that you want!' Amazon reviewer'A believable and fun escape into the world of celebrity and showbiz... Very enjoyable read, with a most satisfactory ending' Amazon reviewer'A very well told story, of things that glitter brightly , but are rarely gold. Lovely believable charters with a good dollop of romance' Amazon reviewer'I really enjoyed this book. Lovely characters, lovely story and very well written. I will buy more books by this author' Amazon reviewer

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The Holocaust as history ended seventy-five years ago, about the span of a full human life; the Holocaust as culture is very much of the present, its meanings and lessons still actively in formation. For twenty-five years, Jason Francisco has wrestled with the afterlife of the genocide, creating a large number of photoworks and essays, including extensive work with the Galicia Jewish Museum in Kraków, Poland. At the center of his work work has been his long-term project Alive and Destroyed: A Meditation on the Holocaust in Time, begun in 2010. With a large format camera and antique lenses, Jason Francisco has undertaken a series of deep journeys extending from Berlin in the west to Kharkov in the east, Riga in the north to Bucharest in the south—for the sake of images that might carry the complications of remembering and forgetting in the places where the events we collectively call the Holocaust occurred. His destinations included the notorious sites of the genocide, such as Auschwitz and the ghettos of Warsaw and Łódź, which often are taken to stand for the whole. And has made his way to hundreds of small, often remote concentrationary sites in Poland, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Hungary and Slovakia—massacre sites in forests, fields, riverbanks and cemeteries, deportation routes, subcamps, labor camps, transit camps, short-term ghettoes, escape routes, hiding places, not to mention countless sites of erstwhile Jewish life and civilization, some intact, more in ruins, vastly more in states of nothingness. Jason Francisco's decentralized approach follows recent scholarship, which has identified more than 42,500 locations in Nazi-occupied Europe where the Holocaust was perpetrated: venturing into the physical geography of the genocide venturing into the territory of remembrance and forgetting, and search for an image form that might carry register what he found and felt. In its method and form, Alive and Destroyed is an unconventional work of witness. Documentary in spirit and conceptualist in method, it does not use photography to “capture” the worlds that the Holocaust left behind—to use the most common metaphor for the photographic act, itself reflecting a carceral understanding of photography as a medium. Rather Alive and Destroyed draws on the capacities of photography to test and redefine what we mean by presence and absence in memory and imagination. The photographs in Alive and Destroyed set out to release—to uncapture—the volatile mixture of incomprehension, argument, reclamation and loss that constitute the Holocaust as an inheritance for the living. Beyond being representations of sites in the world the Holocaust left behind, the images in Alive and Destroyed are themselves primary sites of meditation and mourning.

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*The USA Today bestseller* ‘An edge-of-your-seat, page-flipping, stay-up-all-night, heart-racing suspense thriller!’ Real Reviewer ‘Holy mother of…! This book was SO good. I devoured it…You NEED to read this!’ Real Reviewer ‘Holy cr*p! This is good! Riveting, exciting…kept me guessing. Loved it!’ Real Reviewer In a cabin in a wood,A woman by the window stood. Glancing out, she thought she heardFootsteps, whistling, something stirred. Hiding here, she fears the night,For what’s done in the dark will come to light. She must run fast to escape her lie Or she’ll be the next to die… The unmissable new thriller from the USA Today bestselling master of edge-of-your-seat reading and screenwriter of Netflix Original movie, The Weekend Away. Readers are gripped by The Cabin in the Woods: ‘Buckle up because you are in for a ride! Every time I thought the ending was close, there was another twist that I didn’t see coming… I felt like my heart was going to stop or burst out of my chest!’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This book had me flipping pages as fast as I could! If you love thrillers, buy this book NOW!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Phenomenal! A very twisty journey… kept me guessing… no slow burn here! Perfectly paced and I loved it!’ NetGalley reviewer⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow. This one packs more than a punch, it’s a wallop… Had me biting my nails, stomach clenched. An absolute must read.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Omg! I couldn’t put this down. It had me hooked and wouldn’t let go. Unforgettable!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Once again Sarah Alderson proves that she is truly one of the greats! Easily my favourite book so far this year… Twisty, atmospheric, unputdownable.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A masterclass from Sarah Alderson. Impossible to put down!’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow! I absolutely loved this book. What a page turner… I was gripped from start to finish. If you love fast-paced, suspenseful thrillers then this is for you!’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The perfect thriller! …One of the most suspenseful stories I have ever read… and the ending will leave you reeling.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Now that’s how a thriller is done! Taut in pace and brimming with suspense… I was absolutely hooked and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘WOW! Boy, did Sarah Alderson deliver… Five stars.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Treading Ancient Trails Seeking solace after the death of her husband, Kim Letson discovers a passion for long- distance walking. Through historical and cultural prisms, accompanied by memories, curiosity, and friends, Letson connects ancient and modern journeys. The Coast to Coast, Cornish Coastal Path, and Ridgeway in England offer opportunities for adventure. As a pilgrim, she explores a Portuguese Camino from Porto to Santiago, the Pilgrims’ Way from Winchester to Canterbury, and then the Via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome. Readers share both the wonders and challenges of the journeys, from mountain passes to wind-swept beaches, from Gothic cathedrals to mysterious stone henges. Kim Letson has created a curative elixir with Canterbury and Other Tales, a sumptuous blend of adventure-memoir, escape, loss and healing shared in concise, engaging vignettes. Letson’s prose shuttles us into each trek, as though granting exclusive peeks into the author’s personal travel diary. A series of stories you won’t want to end. Bill Arnott – poet and bestselling author. This book vividly brings back the joys of walking and riding many of the same pathways and facing some of the same challenges which Letson presents with unvarnished candour. While the journeys do not all carry the title of pilgrimage, they all share the pilgrim sense of an inner search – a need to fill the void of the tragic loss of her husband and mother with both a rationale for her own existence and her relationship with the world. Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed, The dear repose for limbs with travel tired; But then begins a journey in my head, To work my mind, when body’s work’s expired: William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 27,” 1609 Paul Chinn – author of the Lightfoot Guidebooks. Kim Letson has done it again. In this latest collection of journeys, she shares intimate moments, challenges of the terrain, encounters with both fellow travellers and those who host pilgrims such as her. Walking alongside shadows of the past, she describes intriguing details and the broad sweep of historical context for her travels and surroundings. Her insights are often humorous and sometimes wry, but it is her accomplishments and tenacity which leave us in awe and just a little envious. Christine Dickinson – historian and author. Like their namesake, these tales are much more than a guided tromp across some of Europe’s best treks and pilgrimages. They are also reflections on love, friendship, loss and what it means to be human. Letson shares lyrical glimpses of the landscapes and history she encounters: the uphill grinds, the wet boots, the soaring cathedrals and sweeping views. In her deft hands we are changed. Jeanette Taylor – historian and author.

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The perfect summer escape on the French Riviera. Sun, sea and secrets…After a disagreement with a billionaire, architect Jess Milton is ‘let go’ from her job. However fortune intervenes – an elderly client asks Jess to dog-sit overweight, but loveable dog Brutus in St. Tropez.Fed up with the mega-rich, Jess is reluctant to visit the playground of billionaires, but an all-expenses-paid trip and the promise of sunshine seals the deal.Little does Jess know how much time she’ll be spending with the family living in St. Tropez. The sullen, but very good-looking David and his millionaire father are both welcoming but guarded, haunted by their pasts…Can Jess bring some sunshine back into their lives – and, just maybe, find love in the process?A heart-warming, funny and emotional journey for fans of Holly Martin, Tilly Tennant and Jenny Oliver.Praise for T.A. Williams' Dreaming of St-Tropez 'I loved every page. Can't wait to read more by this author.' The Cosiest Corner'I was enthralled from start to finish in this immensely enjoyable story of sun, sea, sand, swimming and St. Tropez.' Rachel's Random Reads'The perfect summer read' Reader review'This is a delightful, laugh out loud romance... another superb story from this highly talented author. Get ready for a humorous story with great characters, stupendous settings and a plot filled with fun, mystery, suspense and, of course, romance!' Splashes into Books'Can I say my dream is to actually BE a character in one of T.A.'s books?? I've read and reviewed several of his books, and I absolutely love them!! This book is no exception... I enjoyed every minute of this book and it's the perfect vacation or beach read.' Reader review'I love T.A. Williams' books... A very entertaining and enjoyable read. Strongly recommended.' Reader review'I've loved reading Dreaming of St Tropez and have found it very difficult to close the book. I want so much to be back at the beach bar but since I can't I'll just keep on dreaming of St. Tropez.' Blooming Fiction‘You’ll laugh, cry, and say “Oh! No!” Definitely a fun weekend read’ Reader review'A super fun book about where dreams can take you when you least expect it... such a great read. It had a bunch of twists and turns that were completely unexpected. It made me want to get to St. Tropez right away!' Reader review'If you're looking for the perfect holiday read, for the beach or even the back garden, this is it. Sun, sea, a troubled hero, a lovable dog and an intelligent, kind heroine who lives her life with integrity make this an absorbing read with plenty of laughs.' Jane Hunt Writer'Could not put it down.' Reader review

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*A mesmeric, harrowing and ultimately uplifting childhood memoir about identity, family and mental health that has touched so many readers around the world*'So raw and full of so many emotions. I didn't want the book to end' @ftsworld'It's hard to put into words how sacred this book is' @lisainthecity27'I've literally read it in one sitting. Glued to every single word' @lorencoles'Thank you for shining a light on 'different' children. Thank you for showing that there is no normal. But most of all thank you for proving that even when it's hard to make friends...there is always someone looking out for you' @gabrielle.rea It was an ordinary day in 2016. In Gatwick Airport, Jonathan and his wife Anna were having breakfast with their two little children while waiting for their flight to be called. And then it happened, a familiar sensation that Jonathan hadn't had for decades: an out-of-body experience that transported him to another place, the safe place he used to escape to in his mind when he was a boy.Because growing up in conservative 1980s Dublin, where there was little tolerance for children who were 'different', Jonathan Joly was, indeed, a different sort of child: creative, expressive, and - on the inside - a girl. The limitations of the people around him to understand his differences led to years of tyrannical bullying and abuse, forcing him to withdraw within himself to the point of clinical absence. His only chance for survival was the inner world he created for himself, rich with loving and supportive friends and playmates, that only he could see. Jonathan's invisible friends were his lifeline, and on that day at the airport, they came flooding back, and have remained with him to this day.This extraordinary childhood memoir is not only an important, thought-provoking and exhilarating read, it gives hope and community for all those who have ever felt 'other', and proves how vital it is to provide children with the safe space to be themselves.In All My Friends are Invisible, Jonathan Joly, known widely as one of social media's most successful content creators, shares the secret he's kept hidden these many years. He shows the beautiful world he retreated to time and time again when life was unbearable for his 'skin machine'. Most importantly, he introduces us to his invisible friends, and in so doing you may be transported back to the friends you had as a child that no one else could see, and who may have saved you, too.'This will blow you away'- Stylist'Joly's prose is sensitive and heartbreaking...darkly compelling' - Business Post'An extraordinary and thought-provoking memoir' - Belfast Telegraph

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Three of the greatest SF novels in the world in one bumper omnibus'An astonishing science fiction phenomenon' WASHINGTON POST'I know nothing comparable to it except The Lord of the Rings' Arthur C ClarkeHerbert's evocative, epic tales are set on the desert planet Arrakis, the focus for a complex political and military struggle with galaxy-wide repercussions.Arrakis is the source of spice, a mind-enhancing drug which makes interstellar travel possible; it is the most valuable substance in the galaxy. When Duke Atreides and his family take up court there, they fall into a trap set by the Duke's bitter rival, Baron Harkonnen. The Duke is poisoned, but his wife and her son Paul escape to the vast and arid deserts of Arrakis, which have given the planet its nickname of Dune.Paul and his mother join the Fremen, the Arrakis natives, who have learnt to live in this harsh and complex ecosystem. But learning to survive is not enough - Paul's destiny was mapped out long ago and his mother is committed to seeing it fulfilled.Read the series which inspired the 2021 Denis Villeneuve epic Oscar nominated film, Dune, starring Oscar Isaac, Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Josh Brolin.* * * * * * * * * * * * *'This is - quite simply - the most magnificent Sci-Fi epic ever written . . . The scope of Asimov's Foundation, the attention to detail and context of Tolkien's LotR, coupled with an unmatched visionary socio-ecological messianic narrative that is scarily relevant today ' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Frank Herbert's immortal space opera that created many of the tropes we take for granted inside them is a book that doesn't need my endorsement . . . the nobility is some of the most decadent and depraved in fiction . . . It's a fantastic book, amazing story' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'The blend of science-aversion, exploitation of the naive by systematic manipulation of religion and witchcraft, and the harsh realities of life in a barren and mineral depleted desert is astounding. I love these books!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Herbert succeeds at juxtaposing so many different elements: ecology, religion, consciousness, feudalism, space travel... gawsh, I could go on! . . . It is a mainly character-driven plot, with the three books in this trilogy focusing on the Atreides family on Dune . . . I think everyone should delve into this world, let themselves be absorbed by it. It makes you question your reality, your choices, your relationships and the impact you have on the world, or the impact the world has on you' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Dune perhaps epitomises science-fiction. The willingness to embrace big ideas and show them playing out on a broad canvas . . . You have to read it to believe it' Goodreads reviewer

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'Epic... Apart from being the Emmy award-winning creator of the superb television series Fargo, the American author Noah Hawley is a talented deviser of high-class literary thrillers... It's a fabulous worst-of-all-fears scenario... Hawley attacks his narrative from a broad, TV drama-ish viewpoint, assembling a large, intercutting cast of characters' - The Sunday Times'Noah Hawley taps into our existential anxiety- and transforms it into a hefty page-turner that's equal parts horrific, catastrophic and, at times, strangely entertaining' - New York Times'Terrifyingly good... Hawley is such an experienced storyteller...this book is nothing if not art imitating life' - Irish Sunday Independent From the visionary bestselling author of Before the Fall and The Good Father, an epic literary thriller set where America is right now . . . and the world will be tomorrow.America spins into chaos as the last remnants of political consensus break apart. Against a background of environmental disaster and opioid addiction, debate descends into violence and militias roam the streets - while teenagers across the world seem driven to self-destruction, communicating by memes only they can understand.Yet the markets still tick up and the super-rich, like Ty Oliver, fly above the flames in private jets.After the death of his daughter, Ty dispatches his son Simon to an Anxiety Abatement Center. There he encounters another boy called the Prophet. And the Prophet wants him to join a quest.Before long, Simon is on the road with a crew of new comrades on a rescue mission as urgent as it is enigmatic. Suddenly heroes of their own story, they are crossing the country in search of a young woman held in a billionaire's retreat - and, just possibly, the only hope of escape from the apocalypse bequeathed to them by their parents' generation.Noah Hawley's epic literary thriller, full of unforgettably vivid characters, finds unquenchable lights in the darkest corners. Uncannily topical and yet as timeless as a Grimm's fairy tale, this is a novel of excoriating power, raw emotion and narrative verve, confirming Hawley as one of the most essential writers of our time.'Hawley makes this sing by combining the social commentary of a Margaret Atwood novel with the horrors of a Stephen King book' - Publishers Weekly* * *PRAISE FOR NOAH HAWLEY:'He has an intuitive understanding of human behaviour and an instinctive grasp of plot that make him a master storyteller'Guardian'An addictive thriller whose thematic richness is reminiscent of Franzen'The Sunday Times'Hawley's sublime prose glows on every page'Daily Mail'A thriller of masterful precision'Independent'High-class entertainment' Mail on Sunday'One of the year's best suspense novels'New York Times

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The Sunday Times-bestselling author of Dresden returns with a monumental biography of the city that defined the twentieth century - BerlinThroughout the twentieth century, Berlin stood at the centre of a convulsing world. This history is often viewed as separate acts: the suffering of the First World War, the cosmopolitan city of science, culture and sexual freedom Berlin became, steep economic plunges, the rise of the Nazis, the destruction of the Second World War, the psychosis of genocide, and a city rent in two by competing ideologies. But people do not live their lives in fixed eras. An epoch ends, yet the people continue - or try to continue - much as they did before. Berlin tells the story of the city as seen through the eyes not of its rulers, but of those who walked its streets.In this magisterial biography of a city and its inhabitants, bestselling historian Sinclair McKay sheds new light on well-known characters - from idealistic scientist Albert Einstein to Nazi architect Albert Speer - and draws on never-before-seen first-person accounts to introduce us to people of all walks of Berlin life. For example, we meet office worker Mechtild Evers, who in her efforts to escape an oncoming army runs into even more appalling jeopardy, and Reinhart Cruger, a 12-year-old boy in 1941 who witnesses with horror the Gestapo coming for each of his Jewish neighbours in turn. Ever a city of curious contrasts, moments of unbelievable darkness give way to a wry Berliner humour - from banned perms to the often ridiculous tit-for-tat between East and West Berlin - and moments of joyous hope - like forced labourers at a jam factory warmly welcoming their Soviet liberators.How did those ideologies - fascism and communism - come to flower so fully here? And how did their repercussions continue to be felt throughout Europe and the West right up until that extraordinary night in the autumn of 1989 when the Wall - that final expression of totalitarian oppression - was at last breached? You cannot understand the twentieth century without understanding Berlin; and you cannot understand Berlin without understanding the experiences of its people. Drawing on a staggering breadth of culture - from art to film, opera to literature, science to architecture - McKay's latest masterpiece shows us this hypnotic city as never before.'Remarkable . . . A majestic work of non-fiction' Matthew d'Ancona'Sinclair McKay was born to write this book' David Aaronovitch, The Times'A masterful account of a city marked by infamy . . . If there is a book that must be read this year, this is it' Amanda Foreman'An electrifying new account of Berlin' Julia Boyd, author of Travellers in the Third Reich'One of my favourite historians' Dan Snow

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In the early 18th century, the Dutch colony of Suriname was the envy of all others in the Americas. There, seven hundred Europeans lived off the labor of over four thousand enslaved Africans. Owned by men hell-bent for quick prosperity, the rich plantations on the Suriname river became known for their heights of planter comfort and opulence-and for their depths of slave misery. Slaves who tried to escape were hunted by the planter militia. If found they were publicly tortured. (A common punishment was for the Achilles tendon to be removed for a first offense, the right leg amputated for a second.) Resisting this cruelty first in small numbers, then in an ever increasing torrent, slaves began to form outlaw communities until nearly one out of every ten Africans in Suriname was helping to build rebel villages in the jungle. Alabi's World relates the history of a nation founded by escaped slaves deep in the Latin American rain forest. It tells of the black men and women's bloody battles for independence, their uneasy truce with the colonial government, and the attempt of their great leader, Alabi, to reconcile his people with white law and a white God. In a unique historical experiment, Richard Price presents this history by weaving together four voices: the vivid historical accounts related by the slaves' descendants, largely those of Alabi's own villagers, the Saramaka; the reports of the often exasperated colonial officials sent to control the slave communities; the otherworldly diaries of the German Moravian missionaries determined to convert the heathen masses; and the historian's own, mediating voice. The Saramaka voices in these pages recall a world of powerful spirits-called obia's-and renowned heroes, great celebrations and fierce blood-feuds. They also recall, with unconcealed relish, successes in confounding the colonial officials and in bending the treaty to the benefit of their own people. From the opposite side of the negotiations, the colonial Postholders speak of the futility of trying to hold the village leaders to their vow to return any further runaway slaves. Equally frustrated, the Moravian missionaries describe the rigors of their proselytising efforts in the black villages-places of licentiousness and idol-worship that seemed to be "a foretaste of what hell must be like." Among their only zealous converts was Alabi, who stood nearly alone in his attempts to bridge the cultural gap between black and white-defiantly working to lead his people on the path toward harmony with their former enemies. From the confluence of these voices-set throughout the book in four different typefaces-Price creates a fully nuanced portrait of the collision of cultures. It is a confrontation, he suggests, that was enacted thousands of times across the slaveholding Americas as white men strained to suppress black culture and blacks resisted- determined to preserve their heritage and beliefs.

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A feel-good festive read to get cosy with this winter. For fans of Heidi Swain and Sarah Morgan. By the author of The Country Village Christmas Show and The Country Village Summer Fete. 'Little Bramble is the perfect country village. Brimming with community spirit and warmth.' Phillipa AshleyClare Greene and Sam Wilson are getting married and everyone in Little Bramble is excited for the event of the year. But Clare and Sam are busy people and have left organising their wedding to the last minute.Luckily, wedding planner Hazel Campbell has recently moved to the village. She had what she thought was a wonderful life in Edinburgh with a successful business, a loving fiance and her own wedding coming up. But when she caught her groom-to-be in bed with her best friend she fled, leaving everyone and everything behind.Little Bramble seems like the ideal place for Hazel to start over. As she throws herself into planning the perfect country village winter wedding, she starts to find herself again. And soon she realises that a second chance at happiness might just be on the cards . . . Escape to Little Bramble with the rest of The Country Village Series - The Country Village Christmas Show and The Country Village Summer Fete, available now.- - - - - - - - - - - - Readers are loving The Country Village Winter Wedding:'A warm and uplifting read that is a perfect pick me up . . . I look forward to the next instalment in this series.' Netgalley reviewer 'There's a lot of warmth to this . . . [an] uplifting story with a good mix of feelings and emotions thrown in.' Netgalley reviewer'The characters are instantly lovable.' Netgalley reviewer 'With a warm, delightfully cosy setting, a colourful cast of characters and an appealing storyline this is a slice of festive escapism for a cosy evening next to a roaring fire.' Netgalley reviewer 'Such a warm and uplifting read that is a perfect pick me up. I would love to go to Little Bramble.' Netgalley reviewer'The Country Village series by Cathy Lake has been a wonderful series and this one is no exception. Full of warmth and emotion with the sound of wedding bells too. Pleased to see there is another in the series next year.' Netgalley reviewer'I loved it. Such a festive feel good read that has got me wishing for snow, festivities and carols.' 'The Country Village Winter Wedding is an easy, feel good read. It will leave you full of warm and fuzzies.' 'I can't wait to see what comes next in Little Bramble. This was a wonderfully festive winter read.' Netgalley reviewer - - - - - - - - - Praise for The Country Village series:'A fabulous slice of village life.' Heidi Swain'A gorgeous festive treat of a story.' Philippa Ashley'A gorgeous, uplifting festive read. I loved it.' Holly Martin 'A heartwarming and charming story about love, friendship and village life.' Holly Martin'A great read full of festive magic. One to enjoy this Christmas.' Bella Osborne

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The new gripping gangland thriller from Stephanie Harte is perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Martina Cole and Jacqui Rose. All they want is a brighter future but will taking a risk be worth the gamble? Finn McCaskill feels like he's hit the jackpot when he lands a security job at London City Airport handling pallet loads of cash. Old friend Paul Best sees a lucrative opportunity and can't let it pass them by... Lola Marshall hoped moving to London would help her escape her abusive relationship but when she meets Paul she's torn between following her head and her heart... DI Abbie Kingsly is called in to investigate a robbery at the airport. With very little to go on, will she be able to solve the case before the trail runs cold? When they each roll the dice there are no guarantees. Which one of them will pay the highest price? Nothing in life is free. Readers love Rolling the Dice! 'BRILLIANT READ... Stephanie Harte books just keep getting better and better... Absolutely loved the twist that I didn't see coming. Highly recommended!' NetGalley 5* Review 'Theft, domestic abuse, murder, greed, corruption... You name it, this book has it!... An excellent page turner... It was very well written and will be keeping my eyes peeled for future releases from Stephanie Harte as usual!' NetGalley 5* Review 'Don't hesitate to buy this book! There's violence, crime, romance... Stephanie Harte is definitely keeping up with the big hitters of this genre such as Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers.' NetGalley 5* Review 'My heart was in my mouth... An unputdownable read right to the end.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Gripping, gritty gangland thriller from Stephanie Harte. I loved it. I highly recommend 5 stars from me.' Goodreads 5* Review 'Gritty page turner. Couldn't sleep as needed to finish it. This author is so brilliant.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Wow this book was great it was like 3 separate books in 1. Really hope there is a follow up. Highly recommend buying this book, it was excellent.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Loved this book. 5 stars for this author as usual. She has become one of my top authors.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Explosive tale of abuse, fear, thrills, and crime... Very cleverly written.' NetGalley 5* Review 'If you like authors like Casey Kelleher and Kerry Kaya then definitely give this author a go!' NetGalley 4* Review 'Up there with the best of other female, gritty, crime writers.' NetGalley 4* Review 'Brilliant... Gritty page turner. Loved it.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Full of brilliant gritty gangland crime thriller... I just love the way Stephanie writes her books just just get better and better.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Cracking read.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Action-packed gangland thriller that's kept me reading from page one... Surprising and totally unexpected ending... So exciting I couldn't stop reading.' NetGalley 5* Review

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The second standalone in C.J. Duggan's addictive HEART OF THE CITY series - a very sassy, super sexy romance from the internationally bestselling author of the SUMMER and PARADISE series.Sarah Williams is a spirited, independent Aussie who has always dreamed of New York City. So when a job opportunity arises to become an au pair for a successful businessman in the heart of Manhattan, Sarah jumps at the chance to follow her dream. What she didn't bet on was a beautiful newborn and a distant, abrasive man whose eyes hold a million anguished secrets. Determined to care for his daughter and face the challenges of the impossible Ben Worthington, Sarah was always prepared to follow her heart; she just wasn't prepared to lose it to a complicated man like Ben. PRAISE FOR CJ DUGGAN'S PREVIOUS BOOKS: 'I loved this book - it's the perfect beach read.' Flying Through Pages 'I loved every moment . . . CJ is a born storyteller that breathes a realism into her characters and situations that we've all found ourselves in.' Diva Book Nerd 'PARADISE CITY is the same brand of feel good, fun and sexy romance that I have come to love from this author' Book Briefs 'I love Duggan's writing and PARADISE CITY was a hoot. I cannot wait for the next book! Is it August yet?' Reading With ABC 'Duggan's writing is addictive, and I really didn't want to put this book down.' Escape Into Words 'PARADISE CITY is going to be on my mind until I can get my greedy eyes on PARADISE ROAD. I need that book yesterday!' Book Cat Pin 'A fast paced fun read with so many steamy situations.' Dreamy Addictions 'Guaranteed her readers will come back for more.' My Guilty Obsession 'Drama, deception, love and a little mystery . . . the ending left me hungry for the next book! I can't wait for PARADISE ROAD!' Paranormal Tendencies on Goodreads 'A bit of HOME AND AWAY meets PUBERTY BLUES feel about the novel makes is a great read for older teens and YA. I will be desperately waiting for part 2 in September.' Samantha on Goodreads 'Again Ms Duggan had created a winner. Paradise City was a perfect introduction to the series and characters. I was left needing more and it had so much laugh-out-loud fun. This really did have everything from intrigue to addiction, realism of high school antics, steamy sizzles and fast paced readability. I am certainly hooked and desperately want more of all these characters. I highly recommend this to all new adult readers, fan-bloody-tastic!' Turner's Antics 'This is my first taste of Duggan's work and it won't be the last ... It's a story that will have you coming back for more.' Sassy Book Lovers 'convincing and authentic ... Perfect for fans of Abbi Glines and Anna Todd, PARADISE CITY is a fun and exciting read about love, family and surviving high school.' Fictional Thoughts

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Modern Japanese share a myth to the effect that they harbor in their midst an inferior race less "human" than the stock that fathered their nation as a whole. These pariahs, numbering more than two million, are segregated by caste just as firmly as the Negro is in the United States. The present volume, to which several Japanese and American social scientists have contributed, offeres an interdisciplinary description and analysis of this strangely persistent phenomenon, inherited from feudal times. Its main thesis is that caste and racism are derivatives of identical psychological processes in human personality, however differently structure they may be in social institutions. It finds that what it terms status anxiety, related to defensively held social values, leads to a need to segregate disparaged parts of the population on grounds of innate inferiority. Until the time of their official emancipation in 1871, the so-called eta were distinguished visibly by their special garb. Today few clues to their identity are visible; yet, they remain a distinguishable, segregated segment of the population and bear inwardly, in a psychological sense, the stigma resulting from generations of oppression. This volume traces the story of the outcastes in complete detail--their origin, their stormy post-emancipation history, and their present leftist political significance. Large populations of outcasts live in urban ghettoes within the major cities of south-central Japan. In some of these metropolitan centers they comprise up to 5 percent of the population but contribute 60 to 65 percent of unemployment and relief roles. They have periodic trouble with the police; they manifest a delinquency rate more than three times that of the ordinary population; their children do poorly in school; they are subject to various forms of job discrimination; and few marriages are successfully consummated across the caste barrier. Some try to escape their past identity by becoming prostitutes or by entering the underworld. Those who survive discrimination to achieve status in society either live in fear of exposure [if they are "passing"] or overtly maintain their identity in proud isolation. Some who live in rural communities have achieved equal economic status with their neighbors but not full social acceptance. In their theoretical closing discussion the authors offer a challenging critique of Marxian class theory in introducing the concept of "expressive" exploitation--that is, the psychological use of a subordinate group as a repository of what is disavowed by the values of a culture in a caste society--as distinct in form and function from the "instrumental" economic or political exploitation of subjected minorities in class societies. Contributors:Gerald BerremanJohn B. CornellJohn DonoghueEdward NorbeckJohn PriceYuzuru SasakiGeorge O. Totten This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1966.

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SHORT LISTED FOR THE 2021 CHRISTOPHER BLAND PRIZE'The Lost Homestead is a memoir of Wheeler's mother and her family, which turns out to be so much more than that... it takes the reader into the contested history of India and Pakistan in the 1940s, and explores the impact of partition and division (from the Punjab to Berlin) on the lives of individuals.' - MARY BEARD'Deeply touching.' - Daily Mail'A personal, sometimes harrowing history of partition... a writer well worth reading.' - The Times'A deeply personal story of identity and a highly relatable journey for many in the diaspora... Wheeler taps a rich vein of personal history... Evocative... Gripping.' - Financial Times'A timely read given the current reassessment of colonialism . . . a charming memoir that weaves the story of India independence and the tragedy of the partition with that of her mother's own escape from an unhappy marriage.' - Christina Lamb, Sunday Times'A personal, sometimes harrowing history of partition . . . by narrating partition with a focus on her mother's family, the Singhs, she has made the abstractions of history suddenly more real: they are given names, faces and feelings . . . offers valuable insights, especially since Gandhi and Jinnah were also products of London's inns of court . . . [Marina Wheeler is] a writer well worth reading.' - Tanjil Rashid, The Times'A family journey, a political drama, a historical legacy - magnificently portrayed with courage, humanity and a gentle power.' - Philippe Sands, author of East West Street and The Ratline'A wonderful memoir, gripping, elegant, warm and insightful - a triumph. An intimate and inspiring portrayal of how a woman made her own world as nations and empire were made and unmade.' - Dr Shruti Kapila, Lecturer in Modern History, University of Cambridge'This book is more than a family memoir - it is an insightful glimpse into the way small worlds are forever changed by the impersonal currents of history.' Shashi Tharoor, author of Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India***On 3 June 1947, as British India descended into chaos, its division into two states was announced. For months the violence and civil unrest escalated. With millions of others, Marina Wheeler's mother Dip Singh and her Sikh family were forced to flee their home in the Punjab, never to return. As an Anglo-Indian with roots in what is now Pakistan, Marina Wheeler weave's her mother's story of loss and new beginnings, personal and political freedom into the broader, still highly contested, history of the region. We follow Dip when she marries Marina's English father and leaves India for good, to Berlin, then a divided city, and to Washington DC where the fight for civil rights embraced the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. The Lost Homestead touches on global themes that strongly resonate today: political change, religious extremism, migration, minorities, nationhood, identity and belonging. But above all it is about coming to terms with the past, and about the stories we choose to tell about ourselves.

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Winner of the RNA romantic saga award 2021An inspiring and uplifting tale of women on the home front, for fans of Nancy Revell and Vicki Beeby. By the author of Lily's War. On the ground, the crowd of men stood with their mouths agape, watching the wings soar into the air, the tail kept impressively steady and the small plane with a woman at the controls disappearing into the May sunshine.It's 1942 and Bobby Hollis has joined the Air Transport Auxiliary in a team known as the 'glamour girls' - amazing women who pilot aircraft all around the country.Bobby always wanted to escape life on the family farm and the ATA seemed like the perfect opportunity for her. But there's always something standing in her way. Like a demanding father, who wants to marry her off to a rich man. And the family secrets that threaten to engulf everything.As Bobby navigates her way through life, and love, she has to learn that controlling a huge, four-engined bomber might just be easier than controlling her own life . . .'What a brilliant read! Shirley Mann has given such a well-researched and comprehensive picture of the lives of the courageous women of the ATA, and Bobby is a wonderful heroine. Brave, clever and opinionated, I absolutely loved spending time with her.' Ginny Bell, author of The Dover Cafe at War 'Shirley Mann has given us in Bobby Hollis an inspiration. Plucky and resourceful as she delivers her WW2 aircraft, Bobby is exactly the sort of person you'd want at your side in real life today. This is a perfect read when all you want to do is curl up to enjoy a lovely novel. Brava!' Kitty Danton, author of The Evacuee Christmas'Rich in period detail, nostalgia, intrigue, romance and the realities of life in a perilous and unpredictable corner of the home front, Bobby's War is a saga full of history, heart and our proud national heritage.' Lancashire Evening Post Don't miss Lily's War, and Hannah's War, available now. - - - - - - - - - - - - - Readers love Bobby's War:'I loved this book. A fabulous read.' Netgalley reviewer'If you love family sagas based in the war, this is the book for you.' Netgalley reviewer 'An emotional journey throughout.' Netgalley reviewerPraise for Lily's War:'[The story] read so true to me and I really didn't want to put it down . . . It may be fiction but those things could, and did, happen.' Vera Morgan, wartime WAAF 'An impeccably researched and uplifting story of love, loss and courage: a heartwarming read that will captivate all those who love a good war story.' Clare Harvey, author of The Gunner Girl'A wonderful, inspiring story. I can't wait to read more from Shirley Mann.' Sheila NewberryShirley Mann, Bobby's War, Zaffre, Bonnier Books UK, Winner, The Romantic Saga Award 2021

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Escape to the snowy coast this Christmas with a warm festive read to melt your heart. 'Like a big festive hug – warm, funny and oh so romantic' – Holly Martin It has taken Harriet years to get over the love of her life, but finally she has a dependable boyfriend, a secure job and a decent flat. As long as her thoughts never stray to Mack – the one who got away – she knows that life is good. But when her beloved grandmother dies just before Christmas, Harriet drops everything to fly back to her childhood home: a white clapboard house nestled among the snow-covered beaches of the Hamptons, Long Island, USA. Even in her grief, Harriet is determined to give her Grandpa and his neighbours a Christmas to remember. But her world is turned upside down when she sees Mack for the first time, and he begs her to give him a second chance... Can Harriet forgive Mack and let him mend her broken heart? Or should she return to the safe life she came from? Everyone LOVES Christmas by the Coast! 'Fun, Festive and Fabulous – I flipping loved it' – Milly Johnson, author of My One True North 'This isn't just a love story for the hero and heroine, it's a love story for the entire romance genre. I absolutely adored it and savoured every page' – Sarah Bennett, author of Summer Kisses at Mermaid Point 'Mandy Baggot has done it again. She truly knows how to pull on the heartstrings and had me sobbing to no end. Bravo!' – Nancy Barone, author of Dreams of a Little Cornish Cottage 'Heartfelt and romantic, a truly special book' – Sandy Barker, author of A Sunset in Sydney 'There's a lot of humour in this story, but a lot of depth, tenderness and nostalgia too. This is such a heart-warming Christmas read and well deserves five stars' – Karen King, author of The Stranger in My Bed 'A Christmas romance with a difference – funny, poignant and oh-so-romantic' – Rachel Burton, author of The Summer Island Festival 'Yet another Christmas Cracker from Mandy Baggot! Passion, palm trees and a talking parrot. I loved it!' – Nicola May, author of Welcome to Ferry Lane Market 'Delightful from beginning to end. Sweet on the surface, the layers below held heartache, loss, grief, misunderstandings, and hope for forgiveness' – Katie Mettner, author of Butterflies and Hazel Eyes 'A real gem of a Christmas read from the amazing Mandy Baggot! A heart-warming page turner' – Lucy Coleman, author of Summer in Andalucía 'Mandy Baggot sprinkles her magic over the Hamptons this Christmas. Spoiler alert: you're not going to be able to put this down until the very last page' – Faith Hogan, author of The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club 'A delightfully festive story rich with Mandy Baggot's signature charm, warmth and humour. I loved it!' – Darcie Boleyn, author of The House at Greenacres

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Rebel Private Front and Rear is a line soldier’s account of the Civil War without heroics. Private Fletcher tells how at Gettysburg he was overcome by a “bad case of cowardly horror” when an order came on the third day to get ready to charge. “I tried to force manhood to the front, but fright would drive it back with a shudder,” he confessed. The attack of jitters lasted about fifteen minutes, and then he fell asleep while awaiting the order to advance. But Fletcher could be brave to a fault. He was restless and venturesome and during the lulls between fighting would sometimes ask for permission to go on dangerous scouts into enemy territory. Once, just before Fredericksburg, he slipped out to a haystack in the no-man’s-land near the Rappahannock so that he could watch the Yankees build a bridge. And in his last fight at Bentonville he risked his life on a rash and futile impulse to capture a whole squad of Federals. At Second Manassas, Fletcher was struck by a bullet that grazed his bowels and lodged in his hip. His detailed description of his subsequent sensations and experiences is one of the most interesting portions of his narrative. He begged the surgeons to operate, but when they started cutting he howled so profanely that they threatened to abandon him. His reply was: “It don’t hurt as badly when I am cursing.” Wounded again at Chickamauga, Fletcher was incapacitated for further infantry service and was transferred to Company E, Eighth Texas Cavalry, and served with Terry’s Rangers until the end of the war. In north Georgia he participated in a number of thrilling skirmishes with mounted forces of Sherman’s command, and in one of these encounters he lost his horse. A short time later, in a daring effort to capture a mount from the Yankees, he was taken prisoner. The story of the forming and execution of his plan to escape by jumping from a moving boxcar is full of suspense and excitement. Rebel Private also reveals Fletcher as something of a philosopher. The narrative is sprinkled with dissertations on unexpected subjects, such as God, justice, and war. He reflects on the rightness and the necessity of “foraging,” in home as well as enemy territory, but he tells with evident relish how he and his “pard” of the occasion “pressed” whiskey, honey, and chickens. Fletcher set down his experiences some forty years after the close of the Civil War. His story is told with the artlessness of the natural raconteur. Though the style is unpolished, the memoir makes lively reading because of the author’s eye for detail, his straightforward language, and his sense of humor. One of the most frequently cited narratives written by soldiers of Lee’s army, it derives its value as a historical source mainly from Fletcher’s honesty, his close observations, the richness and variety of his experiences, and the sharpness of his memory.

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When a disgraced TV presenter takes up the role of housekeeper on an isolated Norwegian fjord, she develops a chilling, obsessive relationship with her employer … an award-winning, simply stunning debut psychological thriller from one of Norway’s finest writers. ***As heard on BBC Books at Bedtime*** ***WINNER of the English PEN Translation Award*** ***Shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award*** ***Shortlisted for the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year*** ‘An unrelenting atmosphere of doom fails to prepare readers for the surprising resolution’ Publishers Weekly ‘Unfolds in an austere style that perfectly captures the bleakly beautiful landscape of Norway’s far north’ Irish Times _________________ Two people in exile. Two secrets. As the past tightens its grip, there may be no escape… TV presenter Allis Hagtorn leaves her partner and her job to take voluntary exile in a remote house on an isolated fjord. But her new job as housekeeper and gardener is not all that it seems, and her silent, surly employer, 44-year-old Sigurd Bagge, is not the old man she expected. As they await the return of his wife from her travels, their silent, uneasy encounters develop into a chilling, obsessive relationship, and it becomes clear that atonement for past sins may not be enough… Haunting, consuming and powerful, The Bird Tribunal is a taut, exquisitely written psychological thriller that builds to a shocking, dramatic crescendo that will leave you breathless. _________________ ‘Reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith – and I can’t offer higher praise than that – Agnes Ravatn is an author to watch’ Philip Ardagh ‘A tense and riveting read’ Financial Times ‘Crackling, fraught and hugely compulsive slice of Nordic Noir … tremendously impressive’ Big Issue ‘Beautifully done … dark, psychologically tense and packed full of emotion both overt or deliberately disguised’ Raven Crime Reads ‘Ravatn creates a creeping sense of unease, elegantly bringing the peace and menace of the setting to vivid life. The isolated house on the fjord is a character-like shadow in this tale of obsessions. This is domestic suspense with a twist – creepy and wonderful’ New Books Magazine ‘The Bird Tribunal offers an incredible richness of themes … The atonement for the past sins and the titular bird tribunal carry powerful messages, as well as questions of morality and humanity…' Crime Review 'The Bird Tribunal is suffused with dark imagery from the ancient Eddas, creating a foreboding atmosphere that gets under the skin and stays there. Like a lunar eclipse, each revelation is another form of darkness’ Crime Fiction Lover ‘Chilling, atmospheric and hauntingly beautiful … I was transfixed’ Amanda Jennings ‘Intriguing … enrapturing’ Sarah Hilary ‘A masterclass in suspense and delayed terror, reading it felt like I was driving at top speed towards a cliff edge - and not once did I want to take my foot off the pedal’ Rod Reynolds ‘A beautifully written story set in a captivating landscape … it keeps you turning the pages’ Sarah Ward

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As the bombs rain down on the city, Belfast's first ever female zookeeper must fight to save the baby elephant in her charge in this gripping, uplifting tale based on a true story.1941. With the men away fighting, animal-lover Hettie Quin is made Belfast Zoo's first ever female zookeeper. She is put in charge of Violet, a three-year-old Indian elephant, and they soon form a special bond. With Violet at her side, Hettie can almost escape the grim reality of her life: the father who has abandoned her family; the sister who recently died; the war that's raging hundreds of miles away.But the devastation of war is closer than she thought. When the bombs begin to rain down on the city, Hettie must gather all her courage to protect those she loves the most. Can she save Violet - and get through unscathed herself?Based on a true story, The Zookeeper of Belfast is a gripping and uplifting tribute to what one woman's courage and tenacity can achieve in the most dire of circumstances - perfect for fans of Heather Morris, Natasha Lester, Kate Furnivall, Mandy Robotham and Fiona Valpy.Praise for THE ZOOKEEPER OF BELFAST:'Walsh delivers a turbulent portrait of life in a divided city . . . A unique perspective of a country at war and the lengths people will go for those they love.' - Kirkus Reviews'Sensitively rendered and finely drawn, this remarkable story, based on true events, is both uplifting and heartbreaking.' - Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train'Walsh has written a novel of deep affection and knife-edge suspense. A brilliant debut.' - Margot Livesey, author of The Boy in The Field'An elephant, a young zookeeper, the city of Belfast, bombings, and an IRA member are the improbable characters in this captivating and intimately felt novel that tells the story of a young woman's uncommon devotion and courage under fire.' - Lily Tuck, author of Sisters'A zoo in wartime Belfast and a young woman's fierce love for the elephant in her care come vividly to life in this beautiful, beguiling, and atmospheric debut novel.' - Dominic Smith, author of The Last Painting of Sara de Vos'Cinematic in scope and brimming with emotion, this is a soaring work of historical imagination.' - Karen Olsson, author of All the Houses'Walsh's lovely debut spins this historical sliver into a vivid novel of redemption and mutual care' NYT Book Review'Based on real events, this engrossing novel takes place a year into the Second World War. A three-year-old elephant named Violet arrives at Belfast's Bellevue Zoo, where Hettie Quin, a young zookeeper mourning the recent death of a sister, finds purpose and solace in caring for her' The New YorkerThe Elephant of Belfast is deeply emotive . . . Action is heart-pounding; the imagery vivid; the message universal: connections and friendships among living creatures, both animal and human, offer solace, support, and strength in the darkest times' Historical Novels Review

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A sparkling search for answers, family, and a place to call home.Pennsylvania, 1940s. The only life Brighton Friedrich has ever known is the one she has endured within the dreary walls of Riverside Home—the rural asylum where she was born. A nurse, Joann, has educated and raised Brighton, whose mother is a patient at the hospital. But Joann has also kept vital information from Brighton—secrets that if ever revealed would illuminate Brighton’s troubling past and the circumstances that confine her to Riverside. Brighton’s best friend is a boy she calls Angel, and as they grow up together and face the bleak future that awaits them, they determine to make a daring escape.Nothing can prepare Brighton and Angel for life beyond Riverside’s walls. They have no legal identities, very little money, and only a few leads toward a safe place to land. As they struggle to survive in a world they’ve never seen before, they must rely on each other and the kindness of strangers—some of whom may prove more dangerous than the asylum they’ve fled.Narrated in Elizabeth Byler Younts’s gorgeous style, this poignant and heartbreaking novel explores the power of resilience, the gift of friendship, and the divine beauty to be found in the big, bright world—if only we’re willing to look.Praise for The Bright Unknown:“A beautifully woven story of a young woman’s journey to understanding that the past shapes us but does not define us, and that it is love that gives us the courage to live like we believe it. With prose that is luminous and lyrical, The Bright Unknown is a compelling read from the first page to the last.” —Susan Meissner“With evocative prose and rich detail, Younts draws us into the humanity and hurt of a little examined chapter in American history. Her poignant details will break open your heart, but, with skillful beauty, she makes Brighton—and us—whole again in this wonderful story of hope, grace, and love.” —Katherine Reay“Elizabeth Byler Younts writes with heart, a poet’s pen, and courage. This is I knew when I read The Solace of Water. This was reinforced with my reading of her newest offering. Younts has given us a story which is at once powerful and compassionate, revealing and dignified, heartrending and lyric. Compelling and infused with hope of redemption, The Bright Unknown ushers readers on a journey of empathy. I, for one, am grateful to have read it.” —Susie Finkbeiner“As bold as it is beautiful, as haunting as it is full of hope, The Bright Unknown is a story that will latch onto the minds and hearts of readers, and not easily let go. With luscious language that gives birth to unforgettable characters, Younts is not afraid to explore the dark places for the sake of finding light. I could not put this novel down!” —Heidi Chiavaroli Stand-alone historical novel set in the twentieth century Book length: approximately 110K words Includes discussion questions for book clubs

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From Will Alexander, finalist for the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, a new collection of poems from the intersection between surrealism and afro-futurism, where Césaire meets Sun Ra. Divine Blue Light further affirms Alexander’s status as one of the most unique and innovative voices in contemporary poetry.One of Publishers Weekly’s Top 10 Notable Poetry Books for Fall 2022!“Since the 1980s, the Los Angeles-based Alexander has mixed politics with mesmeric, oracular lines.”—The New York TimesAgainst the ruins of a contemporary globalist discourse, which he denounces as a “lingual theocracy of super-imposed rationality,” Will Alexander’s poems constitute an alternative cartography that draws upon omnivorous reading—in subjects from biology to astronomy to history to philosophy—amalgamating their diverse vocabularies into an impossible instrument only he can play. Divine Blue Light is anchored by three major works: the opening “Condoned to Disappearance,” a meditation on the heteronymic exploits of Portuguese modernist Fernando Pessoa; the closing “Imprecation as Mirage,” a poem channeling an Indonesian man; and the title poem, an anthemic ode to the jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. Other key pieces include “Accessing Gertrude Bell,” a critique of one of the designers of the modern state of Iraq; “Deficits: Chaïm Soutine & Joan Miró,” in homage to two Jewish artists forced to flee the Nazi invasion of France; and “According to Stellar Scale,” a compact lyric that traveled to space with astronaut Sian Proctor. The newest installment in our Pocket Poets Series, Divine Blue Light confirms Alexander’s status among the foremost surrealists writing in English today.Praise for Divine Blue Light:"Adopting a surrealist approach to making sense of the universe, Alexander plumbs language for its limits, often with dazzling results....Pondering the mysteries of existence and artistic influence, this engrossing work turns the quest for self-knowledge into a choral act."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review"Alexander’s range—which moves past the propriety of each subject to the expansiveness of every—can be approximated as Aimé Césaire’s totality of the lion, or form and emptiness, or appositional, apparitional Black being. And this being is most real and realized through the collection’s quantum mechanics and dynamics, which Alexander invokes astrophysically, evokes metaphysically."—Jenna Peng, The Poetry Foundation"These surrealist and Afrofuturist poems examine politics, globalism, and the powers and limitations of language, while paying tribute to artists forced to flee the Nazi invasion of France.”—Maya Popa, Publishers Weekly"The 'invisible current' Will Alexander channels in the meteoric poems of Divine Blue Light is not surreal escape but vibrational engagement—an engagement with the infinite streams of the heart of being."—Jeffrey Yang, author of Line and Light"Like agua tilting itself into a god, Will’s texts suffuse the horizon of Poetry with the abstract purity of their oceanic movements, sun-condensing, dissolving seemingly endless sight into a disappearing instant of the Miraculous. Divine Blue Light exists by what it exudes."—Carlos Lara, author of Like Bismuth When I Enter

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In Halik Kochanski's extraordinary book, the untold story of Poland and the Poles in the Second World War is finally heardBy almost every measure the fate of the inhabitants of Poland was the most terrible of any group in the Second World War. Following the destruction of its armed forces in the autumn of 1939, the Republic of Poland was partitioned between Nazi and Soviet forces and officially ceased to exist. As the war progressed millions of Poles were killed, with each phase unleashing a further round, from the industrialised genocide of Treblinka to the crushing of the Warsaw Rising. Polish Jews were all to be murdered, Christians reduced to a semi-literate slave class. This powerful and original new book is perhaps the most important 'missing' work on the whole conflict, describing both the fate of those trapped within occupied Poland and of the millions of Poles who were able to escape.Reviews:'A remarkable book ... [Kochanski] brings to the subject not only an impressive grasp of the military and political context, but also a balance, neutrality and honesty few could manage, combined with the intelligence, imagination and empathy necessary to grasp the true depth of the experience she recounts ... This book is history at its best. It tells the whole story, and tells it well, with just the right mixture of detachment and empathy, in crisp, readable prose. But it also speaks to the imagination and makes the reader think - and not just about the subject in hand' Standpoint'Until Halik Kochanski's The Eagle Unbowed nobody had written a comprehensive English-language history of Poland at war ... She uncovers details that will surprise even history geeks ... Ms Kochanski marshals an impressive and comprehensive array of English and Polish material' Economist'Poland's war was so terrible as to almost defy summary ... this book is opinionated, fluid and forceful' Oliver Bullough, New Statesman'An informative, authoritative and wide-ranging account of the tragedy that befell Poland and its inhabitants, Gentiles and Jews, during the war and its aftermath ... An engaging and important book' Hubert Zawadzki (author of A Concise History of Poland)About the author:Halik Kochanski read Modern History at Balliol College, Oxford and then completed a PhD at King's College London. She has taught at both King's College London and University College London and presented papers to a number of military history conferences. She has written a number of articles and is the author of Sir Garnet Wolseley: Victorian Hero (1999). She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She has been a member of the councils of the Army Records Society and Society for Army Historical Research and remains a member of both societies. She is also a member of the British Commission for Military History and the Institute for Historical Research. She is currently a judge for the Templer Medal book prize.

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THE NINTH NOVEL IN THE MULTIMILLION-COPY BESTSELLING ADAM DALGLIESH SERIES FROM THE 'QUEEN OF ENGLISH CRIME' (Guardian) 'Outstanding . . . A book to escape into, delighting in the sense that you are in safe hands, no matter how unsafe the subject.' Observer'Classic P. D. James: rich, delicious and satisfying.' Evening Standard 'Crime novel perfection!' 5* reader reviewPERFECT FOR FANS OF VAL MCDERMID, RUTH RENDELL AND ELLY GRIFFITHS__________________________________________________________________________________Where murder is concerned, fiction cannot compete with real life.The Peverell Press is losing money. The two-hundred-year-old independent publisher is still housed in its dramatic mock-Venetian palace on the Thames, but its ruthless new director, Gerard Etienne, wants to move to cheaper offices as part of his plan to save the company. Before he can push through any ambitious changes, though, he is found murdered, his body bizarrely desecrated.Commander Adam Dalgliesh soon finds that the director had a host of dangerous enemies: a discarded mistress, a neglected and humiliated author, rebellious colleagues, disgruntled staff. But did any of them hate Gerard enough to kill him?__________________________________________________________________________________'Puts the work of most of her rivals to shame.' Sunday Times 'Each of the complex, finely drawn characters has an excellent motive for murder, and as death extends its tentacles through the marble building, no one connected with the Peverell press seems remotely safe or innocent.' The Times'Probably the best of the Dalgliesh series so far. Unputdownable.' 5* reader review**Now a major Channel 5 series**__________________________________________________________________________________READERS LOVE THE ADAM DALGLEISH SERIES:'If you are not already an Adam Dalgliesh fan, I urge you to become one . . . James can describe a scene or delineate a character with precision and depth, like no other writer I have read.' 5* reader review'This series is now as thrilling and gripping as Agatha Christie's great mysteries . . . A wonderful treat I must savour.' 5* reader review'P. D. James is guaranteed to be worth reading.' 5* reader review'I would never give less than 5 stars to any P. D. James book. She is one of a kind, always constant, always wonderful writing, always great characters, and always a good mystery that you cannot put down.' 5* reader review'P. D. James writes mysteries for ordinary people. Her characters are relatable and her hero is dynamic. But don't expect cell phones or computers. Her stories are strictly old school, which is what I love about them.' 5* reader review'Crime writing at its very best!' 5* reader reviewPRAISE FOR P. D. JAMES:'A legend.' VAL MCDERMID'Masterful.' MICK HERRON'The greatest contemporary writer of classic crime.' SUNDAY TIMES 'Nobody can put the reader in the eye of the storm quite like P. D. James.' SUNDAY EXPRESS'One of the literary greats. Her sense of place was exquisite, characterisation and plotting unrivalled.' MARI HANNAH'There are very few thriller writers who can compete with P. D. James at her best.' SPECTATOR'Simply a wonderful writer.' NEW YORK TIMES'The queen of English crime.' GUARDIAN

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From the No. 1 bestselling author of Watch Over Me, the million copy selling author Daniela Sacerdoti returns to the magical and atmospheric Glen Avich in the Scottish Highlands.Inary Monteith's life is at a crossroads. After a stolen night with her close friend Alex, she's just broken his heart by telling him it was all a terrible mistake. Then she has to rush home from London to the Scottish Highlands when her little sister's illness suddenly worsens – in returning she must confront the painful memories she has been trying so hard to escape.Back home, things become more complicated than she could ever have imagined. There's her sister's illness, her hostile brother, a smug ex she never wants to see again and her conflicted feelings about Alex in London – and a handsome American she meets in Glen Avich. On top of that, she mysteriously loses her voice but regains a strange gift from her childhood – a sixth sense that runs in her family. And when a voice from the past keeps repeating "Take me home," she discovers a mystery that she knows she must unlock to set herself free.Perfect for fans of Amanda Prowse, Dorothy Koomson and Susan Lewis, Take Me Home is a beautiful story of love, loss, discovering one's true abilities and, above all, never forgetting who you really are. What readers have to say about Take Me Home:"The contemporary romance is beautifully balanced with elements of mystery and endearing characters that both break and capture the heart. A stunning talent, Sacerdoti writes beautiful fiction that feeds the soul."– Shari Low, Daily Record"Daniela Sacerdoti is fast becoming one of my favourites – and here she has written another extraordinary and beautiful story."– The Sun"This is one of the most emotional stories I think I've read... Just completely beautiful!"– Kim the Bookworm"A beautifully written, emotionally engaging narrative following Inary on a journey of loss, trauma and love … I can’t recommend this book enough."– Compelling Reads (5/5)"It has been a very long time, if ever, that I have read a book so beautifully written and been so absolutely spellbound."– Room for Reading (5/5)"A truly beautiful story; it’s gripping and it’s moving. And it will leave you wanting more from Daniela Sacerdoti."– Book Love BugPraise for Daniela Sacerdoti:"Heartwarming and mysterious with great atmosphere."– Kate Forde on Keep Me Safe"Heartwarming and intriguing."– Dani Atkins on Keep Me Safe"The author, in her first novel, Watch Over Me, achieves what more experienced novelists always hope to. In Glen Avich she creates a world you wish you didn’t have to leave."– The Scots Magazine"An absolute joy to read, the story is engaging, the characters are believable and the writing is lovely... is definitely a book to add to the summer reading list, and one that you won’t be able to put down."– The Press and Journal on Set Me Free

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The father of "open innovation" is back with his most significant book yet. Henry Chesbrough’s acclaimed book Open Innovation described a new paradigm for management in the 21st century. Open Services Innovation offers a new approach that demonstrates how open innovation combined with a services approach to business is an effective and powerful way to grow and compete in our increasingly services-driven economy. Chesbrough shows how companies in any industry can make the critical shift from product- to service-centric thinking, from closed to open innovation where co-creating with customers enables sustainable business models that drive continuous value creation for customers. He maps out a strategic approach and proven framework that any individual, business unit, company, or industry can put to work for renewed growth and profits. The book includes guidance and compelling examples for small and large companies, services businesses, and emerging economies, as well as a path forward for the innovation industry. "Whether you are managing a product or a service, your business needs to become more open and more inclusive in order to be more innovative. Open Services Innovation will be an invaluable guide to intrepid managers who commit to making that journey." —GARY HAMEL, visiting professor, London Business School; director, Management Lab; and author, The Future of Management "I tore out page after page to share with my leaders. Chesbrough has pioneered an entire rethink of business innovation that’s rich in concept, deeply explained, with tools ready to use in every industry." —SCOTT COOK, founder and chairman of the executive committee, Intuit "Focusing on core competence often tempts managers to keep continuing what succeeded in the past. A far more important question is what capabilities are critical in the future, and Chesbrough shows how to ask and answer these issues." —CLAYTON CHRISTENSEN, Robert & Jane Cizik Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School, and author, The Innovator's Dilemma "To thrive, businesses will need to master the lessons of open service innovation. Here is their one-stop guidebook with important lessons clearly and compellingly presented." —JAMES C. SPOHRER, director, IBM University Programs World-Wide "Open Innovation pioneer Henry Chesbrough breaks new ground with Open Services Innovation, a persuasive argument for the power of co-creation in the world of services." —TOM KELLEY, general manager, IDEO, and author, The Ten Faces of Innovation, The Art of Innovation "With his trademark style of beautifully explained examples, Henry Chesbrough shows how open service innovation and new business models can help you escape this product commodity trap and bring you to the next level of competition." —ALEX OSTERWALDER, author, Business Model Generation "Open Services Innovation shows how a business can redefine itself as a service organisation and tap into faster growth through shared innovation." —SIR TERRY LEAHY, chief executive, Tesco "Chesbrough shows how innovating openly with a services mindset can make you a market leader." —CHARLENE LI, author, Open Leadership, and founder, Altimeter Group

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“A bold attempt to portray the greyness of growing up without roots or identity, cast adrift in an uncomprehending and uncertain world.” Caroline Moorehead, Times Literary Supplement.March, 1945. The ravaged face of London will soon be painted with victory, but for Sylvie, the private battle for peace is just beginning. When one of her twins is stillborn, she is faced with a consuming grief for the child she never had a chance to hold. A Small Dark Quiet follows a mother as she struggles to find the courage to rebuild her life and care for an orphan whom she and her husband, Gerald, adopt two years later.Born in a concentration camp, the orphan’s early years appear punctuated with frail speculations, opening up a haunting space that draws Sylvie to bring him into parallel with the child she lost. When she gives the orphan the stillborn child’s name, this unwittingly entangles him in a grief he will never be able to console. His own name has been erased, his origins blurred. Arthur’s preverbal trauma begins to merge with the loss he carries for Sylvie, released in nightmares and fragments of emerging memories to make his life that of a boy he never knew. He learns all about ‘that other little Arthur’, yearning both to become him and to free himself from his ghost. He can neither fit the shape of the life that has been lost nor grow into the one his adopted father has carved out for him.As the novel unfolds over the next twenty years, Arthur becomes curious about his Jewish heritage, but fears what this might entail – drawn towards it, it seems he might find a sense of communion and acceptance, but the chorus of persecutory voices he has internalised becomes too overwhelming to bear. He is threatened as a child with being sent back where he belongs but no one can tell him where this is. He wanders as an adult looking for purpose but is unable to find his place. Feeling an imposter both at home and in the city, Arthur’s yearning for that sense of belonging echoes in our own time. Meeting Lydia seems to offer Arthur the opportunity to recast himself, yet all too soon he is trapped in a repetition of what he was trying to escape. A past he can neither recall nor forget lives on within him even as he strives to forge a life for himself. Survival, though, insists Arthur keeps searching and as he opens himself to the world around him, there are flashes of just how resilient the human heart can be. Through Sylvie’s unprocessed grief and Arthur’s acute sense of displacement, A Small Dark Quiet explores how the compulsion to fill the empty space death leaves behind ultimately makes the devastating void more acute. Yet however frail, the instinct for empathy and hope persists in this powerful story of loss, migration and the search for belonging.

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When everything you hold dear is torn apart by war, can love put you back together again? It's 1943, and the Second World War is raging. Ruby Mottram works for her local newspaper, the Bartonford Herald, typing up adverts and obituaries, whilst dreaming of a more exciting life. Between her shifts as an ARP warden and caring for her ailing father, the chance for escape doesn't come often to Devon. Meanwhile, in America's deep south, Sam Archer is hatching a plan to raise enough money to get his mother and sister away from his abusive stepfather. Using falsified documents to hide his age, he enlists with the U.S. Army. Two chance encounters bring Ruby and Sam together from opposite sides of the Atlantic, giving them the chance of love, hope and freedom from their troubled lives. But fate, in the shape of D-Day and Omaha Beach, has other ideas. When their very lives are at risk, will their promise to wait for one another be what keeps them alive? For fans of Suzanne Kelman, Ellie Midwood and Catherine Hokin. Readers love Before the Dawn! 'An absolutely stunning book... I adored everything about this. I would definitely watch this if it were a movie! I already can't wait to re-read this' NetGalley 5* Review 'OH MY GODDESS this book has become a new favourite... Ruby and Sam's love is addicting and heart-warming, leaving me feel the same emotions alongside them through every bump in the road. Their love was so enchanting and strong' @haleyyneal, 5* Review 'What a gorgeous book!!... It would make an exquisite movie. The chemistry between the two main characters was off the charts. This book kept me up late into the night turning page by page like it was on fire to see what happened next' NetGalley 5* Review 'I need this to be a movie!... A beautiful story of love and the dual perspective was perfect! I am adding this to my historical fiction favourites' NetGalley 5* Review 'I couldn't put this down! Beautiful writing kept me turning the pages!' NetGalley 5* Review 'Lovely, raw WWII romance... Quite heart-breaking... Definitely a rocky and emotional one... A really great WWII historical romance' Wayfaring_reader, 5* Review 'Wonderful book... If you are a fan of World War novels of history and romance, then you need to read this... A stunning book I couldn't put down. At the end I was overwhelmed with the story and replayed it in my mind for several days. A read not to be missed' Goodreads 5* Review 'I read this over a rainy stormy weekend... Just what I needed to curl up with... This was an immersive, historically well researched story of WW2... All that one might want from this genre: romance, historical fact and some sense of suspense... 5 stars from me!' NetGalley 5* Review

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The delightful adventures of a visually impaired barn cat and his annoying flea, as they set off to experience the world and find themselves participants in some of the most remarkable events of the early twentieth century.Pudding Tat is born on the Willoughby Farm in 1901 — just another one of Mother Tat’s kittens. But it turns out that Pudding is anything but ordinary. He is pure white with pink eyes that, though beautiful, do not see well, and hearing that is unusually acute. He finds himself drawn to the sweet sounds of the world around him — the pattering heartbeat of a nearby mouse, the musical tinkling of a distant stream.Soon the sounds of adventure call to Pudding, too. But before he can strike out into the wide world on his own, he hears a voice — coming from right inside his own ear. A flea has claimed Pudding as his host. The bossy parasite demands that Pudding take him away from the lowly barn and the drunken singing of his fellow fleas. He doesn’t want adventure but a finer life — one where he can enjoy a warm bed and blood flavored not with mice, but with beef tenderloin and cream.Fortunately for this mismatched pair, the world is an extremely interesting place in 1901. Over the next decade and a half, Pudding and his flea find themselves helping to make history — a journey over Niagara Falls in a barrel, a visit to the Pan-American Exposition on the day President McKinley is shot, a luxurious stay in Manhattan with songwriter Vincent Bryan, a terrifying trip on the airship America, and a voyage on the ill-fated Titanic.Through each narrow escape, the call to adventure for the cat, and luxury for his disgruntled flea, beckons them on, right to the devastation of a World War I battlefield. Then Pudding is filled with a new longing, one that brings him, with his flea’s help now, full circle and back home.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

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Like most of the rest of us, Christian students tend to set the bar too low for themselves, especially when it comes to actively following Jesus.This six-week Bible study curriculum will challenge students to accept the mission to live like Jesus now, not later, by telling the stories of adolescents from the Bible and in modern life who did -- and are doing -- significant and amazing things in the world and for the God who saves. In a society where cultural adolescence is lingering into the 30s, its no wonder Christian students often fail to confront the call to act meaningfully on their faith in Christ.It’s easy to package that commitment with big ideas like picking a college, a spouse, and a career -- and then to never quite get around to it. God, however, posts no minimum age on discipleship, and his book contains several examples of younger people both willing and able -- in his power -- to do extraordinarily difficult and necessary things with their lives for him. Why Not Now? will mine stories from the young lives of Miriam, Joseph, David, Solomon, Daniel, and Mary to find why and how they said yes to God before they would have been old enough to rent a car in our modern society. All six of these people believed God could use their lives to do something that mattered. What is holding us back?To bolster the argument and generate interest in the books, Why Not Now? will also seek contributions from living examples of people who are doing or have done things we just don’t expect students to do these days. Abby Sunderland, for instance, generated worldwide controversy for attempting to sail around the world solo simply because she was 16 at the time. How dare she? How cold her parents allow that? Another 16-year-old, cheerleader Kealey Oliver, recently made news for courageously tackling a shoplifter at the local mall rather that letting him escape. She saw it as her responsibility to stand for justice. And 17-year-old Steven Ortiz made headlines by demonstrating the practical wisdom of bartering his way from an old cell phone to a convertible Porsche. Why Not Now? will use stories like theirs -- and those from Scripture -- to equip youth leaders to challenge students to use their unique gifts, skills, and opportunities right now to do bigger things with their lives for God’s glory.The curriculum will include teaching outlines, commentary, group activities, discussion questions, and engaging assignments that will help students to catch the vision for imagining how much they might be capable of. Right now. The daily devotional (sold separately) will offer a similar challenge directly from the pages of the Bible using brief and provocative commentary, directed prayers, questions for reflection, and brief exercises designed to help students quickly put into practice what they’re learning from Scripture.This pack contains one guide and one DVD.

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Lonely Planet’s Experience Thailand travel guide reveals exciting new ways to explore this iconic destination with one-of-a-kind adventures at every turn. Escape to the quiet beaches of Ko Kut, dig into spicy fish curries in Phuket, dance at a secret rave in Ko Mak – using our local experts and planning tools to create your own unique trip.Inside Lonely Planet’s Experience Thailand:- Local experts share their love for the real Thailand, offering fresh perspectives into the country’s traditions, values and modern trends to make your travel experience even more meaningful- In the know tips to help you build on your experiences when visiting well-known sights and landmarks- Fun insights that will pique your curiosity and take you to the heart of the place - learn local rituals when you shop at the lesser-know floating markets of Bang Phili or Tha Kha; understand hidden meanings behind common greetings from Bangkok street food vendors; watch wild elephants roam in Kui Buri National Park- Insider scoop on the best festivals, secret hangouts, hidden locations, tantalising local food scene and photo-worthy views- Handy seasonal trip planner to guide you on where to go, when to travel and what to pack- Practical information on money, getting around, unique and local ways to stay, and responsible travel- Comprehensive selection of maps throughout and beautiful full-colour photography to inspire you as you plan your unforgettable journey- Covers Bangkok, Central Thailand, Chiang Mai & Northern Thailand, Northeastern Thailand, Ko Chang & the Eastern Seaboard, Hua Hin & the Upper Gulf, Phuket & the Andaman Coast, Ko Samui & the Lower GulfLonely Planet’s Experience Thailand is an essential travel guide for all explorers looking to immerse themselves in the Thai way of life. Each book within the Experience series contains handy trip building tools so that you can take your pick of the must-see attractions and activities as suggested by our local experts – and create your own dream travel itinerary to get away from the everyday. Unlock even more travel secrets using the QR codes throughout each guide and discover story-worthy travel moments that you’ll never forget.About Lonely Planet:Lonely Planet, a Red Ventures Company, is the world’s number one travel guidebook brand. Providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973, Lonely Planet reaches hundreds of millions of travellers each year online and in print and helps them unlock amazing experiences. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com and join our community of followers on Facebook (facebook.com/lonelyplanet), Twitter (@lonelyplanet), Instagram (instagram.com/lonelyplanet), and TikTok (@lonelyplanet)."...these new Experience guides from Lonely Planet are irresistibly attractive." - The Washington Post Book Club'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' – Fairfax Media (Australia)

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WATERSTONES NOVEL OF THE YEARIt was only because Gaunt knew he might die, that he could be so reckless as to kiss him. 'Assured, affecting and moving. Alice Winn has written a devastating love story between two young men on the Western Front' MAGGIE O'FARRELL, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF HAMNET ______________________In 1914, war feels far away to Henry Gaunt and Sidney Ellwood. They're too young to enlist, and anyway, Gaunt is fighting his own private battle - an all-consuming infatuation with the dreamy, poetic Ellwood - not having a clue that his best friend is in love with him, always has been.When Gaunt's mother asks him to enlist in the British army to protect the family from anti-German attacks, he signs up immediately, relieved to escape his overwhelming feelings. But Ellwood and their classmates soon follow him into the horrors of trenches. Though Ellwood and Gaunt find fleeting moments of solace in one another, their friends are dying in front of them, and at any moment they could be next.An epic tale of the devastating tragedies of war and the forbidden romance that blooms in its grip, In Memoriam is a breathtaking debut.THE TOP FIVE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, March 2023______________________'One of the best debuts I've read in recent years: immersive, rousing, tender and devastating . . . please rush out and buy it' ELIZABETH DAY'BIRDSONG for a new generation' JOANNA QUINN, AUTHOR OF THE WHALEBONE THEATRE'Like looking at a black and white photograph which has been colourised . . . I was completely absorbed, moved, and transported' CLAIRE FULLER, AUTHOR OF UNSETTLED GROUND'When was the last time characters in a novel seemed so real to me, so cherishable, so alive?' GARTH GREENWELL, AUTHOR OF CLEANNESS and WHAT BELONGS TO YOU'A vivid rendering of love and frontline brutality in the first world war . . . In Memoriam is at once epic and intimate, humorous and profound, a vivid rendering of the madness and legacy of the first world war as seen through the lens of a schoolboy love affair' Observer'A tender, affecting debut . . . Winn strikingly evokes the torment and brutality of life of the front' The Times'Propulsive, visceral and heartrending . . . I can't remember the last time I was this invested in a love story' Sunday Telegraph 'A genuine page-turner' Sunday Times'In Memoriam is gripping, tender, immersive and, most of all, completely unforgettable' i, Fiction Pick of the Month'Alice Winn's devastating debut will smash your heart to smithereens . . . as thousands of young men die in the most horrific of ways, Gaunt and Ellwood attempt to survive the slaughter and keep their love alive' Daily Mail'IN MEMORIAM is the story of a great tragedy, but it is also a moving portrait of young love, and there is often a lightness to the book, even humor. It's a difficult balancing act, but one that Winn, who is erudite, fast talking and very funny, pulls off' New York TimesSunday Times bestseller, November 2023

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Charlotte survived four long years as a prisoner in the attic of her kidnapper, sustained only by dreams of her loving family. The chance to escape suddenly arrives, and Charlotte fights her way to freedom. But an answered prayer turns into heartbreak. Losing her has torn her family apart. Her parents have divorced: Dad's a glutton for fame, Mom drinks too much, and Charlotte's twin is a zoned-out druggie. Her father wants Charlotte write a book and go on a lecture tour, and her mom wants to keep her safe, a virtual prisoner in her own home. But Charlotte is obsessed with the other girl who was kidnapped, who never got a second chance at life--the girl who nobody but Charlotte believes really existed. Until she can get justice for that girl, even if she has to do it on her own, whatever the danger, Charlotte will never be free. "For all of us who have watched the chilling news of kidnapped females rescued and thought 'There but for the grace of God' and 'How do they go on?'...here is the answer fully imagined, exquisitely written, ultimately triumphant. You will cry all the way through this story but you will not put it down." ~Jennifer Echols, award-winning author of Going Too Far "Kensie deftly explores what happens after the supposedly happy ending of a nightmare. But nothing is as simple as it seems--not even the truth." ~April Henry, author of The Girl I Used to Be; Girl, Stolen; and The Night She Disappeared "A captivating story of self-(re)discovery, Clara Kensie's Aftermath introduces us to Charlotte, a sixteen-year-old girl trying hard to reclaim her place in a family decimated by her kidnapping four years earlier. Charlotte wants only to catch up to her twin Alexa and live out all the plans they'd made as children, but finds the journey back to 'normal' is not only hers to take. Charlotte is a heroine to cheer for...with gut-twisting bravery and raw honesty, she takes us through that journey--back to the unspeakable tortures she endured in captivity and forward to how those years scarred her family, leaving us intensely hopeful and confident that she will not merely survive, but triumph." ~Patty Blount, author of Some Boys; Send; TMI; and Nothing Left to Burn "Delving deep into the darkness of abduction and its 'Aftermath,' Kensie takes us on an unflinching journey of healing, courage, and triumph of the human spirit. Heartbreaking, yet stubbornly hopeful." ~Sonali Dev, author of A Bollywood Affair and The Bollywood Bride "Aftermath is a timely, powerful portrait of hope amid tragedy, strength amid brokenness, and the healing power of forgiveness." ~Erica O'Rourke, award-winning author of the Torn trilogy and the Dissonance series "Gripping, powerful, deeply moving, Aftermath is a book I didn't want to end. It's written with such compassion that it will help readers heal. A must-read." ~Cheryl Rainfield, author of Scars and Stained A Children's Book Review pick for one of the Best New Young Adult Books, November 2016

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Don’t miss the new, totally addictive psychological thriller from Sarah Goodwin, with bombshell twists that will leave you stunned. Fans of The Sanatorium, The Paris Apartment and One of the Girls will be hooked from the very first page. You can't outrun the past… Summer, 2022. When Meg and Cat are forced to take a dangerous shortcut home one night, they notice two men silently following them. Suddenly running for their lives, they scramble into an abandoned building to hide and wait for help. …for what’s done in the dark will come to light… One year later. Attempting to escape the horrors of that fateful night, Meg barricades herself into a safehouse at the edge of a crumbling sea cliff. As a storm rages outside, a blackout plunges the house into darkness. But Meg’s not alone. …and someone wants revenge. This is a twisty locked-room thriller for fans of Sarah Pearse, Lucy Foley and Jane Harper that will leave you breathless. Readers are gripped by The Blackout: ‘I literally could not put this book down, it was heart wrenching, scary, claustrophobic and twisted. A great read.’ NetGalley review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow!!! Just finished this book and I am having to remind myself how to breathe. A definite must read for thriller lovers, The Blackout is full of twists and turns as well as moments of quiet reflection and sorrow. So pleased to have read this … now I think I need a lie down!!!’ NetGalley review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Sarah Goodwin's The Blackout is an absolute tour de force in the realm of gripping and atmospheric thrillers. From the very first page, readers will find themselves on a nerve-wracking rollercoaster ride, unable to tear their eyes away from the enthralling narrative.’ NetGalley review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I had promised myself I would only read a few chapters before I had to start dinner. I’m such a liar…. I got completely lost within the pages, I was at the edge of my seat, eyes bulging, fearing what lurked in the next chapter. I couldn't get there fast enough and there was no way in heck I was putting this one down.’ NetGalley review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This novel is a true gem, that keeps you guessing to the end.’ NetGalley review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘WOW! If you are looking for a book that will grip you from the start and leave you breathless this is for you. NetGalley review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fast and fun read, perfect for cuddling up with a blanket during a thunderstorm.’ NetGalley review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I sat up late and read in one sitting which is not something I have done for a long time. One of the best books I have read in a while.’ NetGalley review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This book was a wild rollercoaster of a read. It hooked me from the first page and I just held on till the end. I loved it!’ NetGalley review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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In Gotham City, heinous acts of violence are a daily occurrence. Harley Quinn, forensic psychiatrist and profiler, consults with the GCPD on their worst cases. But she is fixated on an unsolved murder that haunts her-the night she discovered her roommate's body marked with the signature of a notorious serial killer known as The Joker. Five years later, the case remains unsolved, and a new series of horrific killings has begun. As the murders escalate and the meticulously constructed crime scenes become more elaborate, Harley's obsession with finding the depraved psychopath responsible leads her down a dangerous path. When the past and the present finally collide, Harley has to decide how far she is willing to go-and how many lines she is willing to cross-to solve these cases once and for all. Written by #1 New York Times and international bestselling author Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures, Unbreakable, The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos) and drawn by Mico Suayan (Bloodshot Reborn), Jason Badower (Wonder Woman '77), and Mike Mayhew (The Star Wars), Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity introduces readers to a Joker and Harley Quinn unlike any they've seen before, utilizing forensic psychiatry, behavior analysis (profiling), and psychological profiles to create a true-to-life take on these iconic characters that is more terrifying than any psychotic fantasy. This volume collects issues #1-8, as well as Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity-Secret Files. 'Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity is as brutal and cruel as Gotham itself. Kami Garcia and her disturbed co-conspirator artists are about to make you uncomfortable in the very best way.' -Brad Meltzer, New York Times bestselling author of The Escape Artist and writer of Identity Crisis 'Reads like a cinematic trip, a breathtaking sojourn through the tangled minds of psychopaths. Chilling writing and the art is off the charts.' -Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Goblin 'Gritty, gripping, and suspenseful-a fresh vision of Harley Quinn and the Joker, and a darkly vivid story.' - Meg Gardiner, bestselling author of the Unsub series 'Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity is methodical, disturbing, and incredibly compelling. Harley is brilliant, formidable, and absolutely not to be f'd with.'-Kelly Sue DeConnick, writer of Bitch Planet and Captain Marvel 'Kami Garcia, Mico Suayan, Jason Badower, and Mike Mayhew bring some things to the legends Joker and Harley that no one else has done before! A mesmerizing treat even for those who think they know all there is to know about these characters.' - Brian Michael Bendis, writer of Alias and Naomi 'Kami Garcia and her amazing artistic collaborators dig deep to create a portrait of Joker and Harley that is as scary and exciting as you'd hope for, but also surprisingly human.' - Jeff Lemire, creator of Sweet Toothand writer of Joker: Killer Smile 'Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity isn't just a darkly fresh take on iconic DC characters, it's also a deep, masterful exploration of the most terrifying corners of human psychology. One of the most gripping series I read this year.' - Scott Snyder, writer of The Batman who Laughs and American Vampire

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