Search results for ""MACMILLAN""

'One of our finest storytellers' Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent'Pure magic' M.R. Carey, author of The Girl With All the GiftsFrom Frances Hardinge, the Costa Award-winning author of The Lie Tree comes Deeplight - an underwater adventure as dangerous as the gods themselves . . . The gods of the Myriad were as real as the coastlines and currents, and as merciless as the winds and whirlpools. Then one day they rose up and tore each other apart, killing many hundreds of islanders and changing the Myriad forever. On the jumbled streets of the Island of Lady's Crave live Hark and his best friend Jelt. They are scavengers: living off their wits, diving for relics of the gods, desperate for anything they can sell. But now there is something stirring beneath the waves, calling to someone brave enough to retrieve it. Something valuable. Something dangerous.Nothing is quite as it seems, and when the waves try to claim Jelt, Hark will do anything to save him. Even if it means compromising not just who Jelt is, but what he is . . .

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John Scalzi's Head On, is a chilling near-future SF with the thrills of a gritty cop procedural. Head On brings Scalzi's trademark snappy dialogue and technological speculation to the future world of sports.To some left with nothing, winning becomes everything . . . In a post-virus world, a daring sport is taking the US by storm. It’s frenetic, violent and involves teams attacking one another with swords and hammers. The aim: to obtain your opponent’s head and carry it through the goalposts. Impossible? Not if the players have Haden’s Syndrome. Unable to move, Haden’s sufferers use robot bodies, which they operate mentally. So in this sport anything goes, no one gets hurt – and crowds and competitors love it. Until a star athlete drops dead on the playing field. But is it an accident? FBI agents Chris Shane and Leslie Vann are determined to find out. In this game, fortunes can be made – or lost. And both players and owners will do whatever it takes to win, on and off the field.

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Shortlisted for the 2023 Hugo Award for Best NovelJurassic Park meets Parks & Recreation in The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi, a thrilling, fast-paced adventure set on an alternate Earth – perfect for fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky and Michel Crichton.‘John Scalzi is the most entertaining, accessible writer working in SF today’ – Joe Hill, author of The FiremanA Financial Times Book of the YearThey're big, they're bad and they're about to become extinct . . .Jamie’s dream was to hit the big time at a New York tech start-up. Jamie’s reality was a humiliating lay-off, then a low-wage job as a takeaway delivery driver. During a pandemic too. Things look beyond grim, until a chance delivery to an old acquaintance. Tom has an urgent vacancy on his team: the pay is great and Jamie has debts – it’s a no-brainer choice. Yet, once again, reality fails to match expectations. Only this time it could be fatal.It seems Tom’s ‘animal rights organization’ is way more than it appears. The animals aren’t even on Earth – or not our Earth, anyway. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures roam a tropical, human-free world. And although Kaiju are their universe’s largest and most dangerous animal, they need support to survive.Tom’s ‘Kaiju Preservation Society’ wants to help. However, others want to profit. Unless they’re stopped, the walls between our worlds could fall – and the consequences would be devastating.

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A thoughtful collection of soul-soothing writing, O’s Little Book of Calm & Comfort is the antidote to life’s trying times.Featuring essays and interviews from some of the most celebrated contributors to O, The Oprah Magazine, this heartening collection offers solace, wisdom, and connection. Among the highlights: Nora Ephron on the state of rapture that comes from curling up with a good book; Maeve Binchy on the blessings of friends; and a stirring conversation between Oprah and the American Buddhist nun Pema Chodron that reveals how the pain we experience can create the possibility of a more joyful life. Together, these pieces from great writers and celebrated thinkers serve as a reminder that however tumultuous life may become, the world has beauty, kindness, and love enough to see us through.

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Alice doesn't believe in luck, Alice believes in love. Mostly that she's been in love with her best friend, Teddy, for the last three years. When she buys him a lottery ticket for his birthday and he wins 32 million dollars, they are thrown together with the world at their feet. Teddy decides that he will spend his money committing random acts of kindness, and who better to go on that adventure with him than Alice? In the process they get to know themselves and each other better than they ever have before, but money can't buy you love . . .Windfall is a tender and uplifting novel about love, luck, and big life changes, from Jennifer E. Smith.

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"Wise old man, won't you help me, please? My house is a squash and squeeze."Visit the farm in the brilliantly funny A Squash and a Squeeze, the first ever picture book written and illustrated by the unparalleled picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo.A little old lady lives all by herself but she's not happy – her house is just too small, even for one. Whatever can she do? The wise old man knows: bring in a flappy, scratchy, greedy, noisy crowd of farmyard animals. When she pushes them all out again, she'll be amazed at how big her house feels!This handy board book format is perfect for younger readers. It features the classic story with a stunning redesigned cover and beautiful finish, making it a must-have for even the smallest Donaldson and Scheffler fans!Also available in board book format and with striking redesigned covers are: The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo's Child, Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, The Smartest Giant in Town, Monkey Puzzle and Charlie Cook's Favourite Book.

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"I've lost my mum!"Where is Monkey's mummy? It's not too much fun being lost in the jungle, and little monkey wants his mum. A kindly butterfly is keen to help, but they don't seem to be having much luck but they don't seem to be having much luck and keep finding the wrong animals! But eventually, they find . . . Dad! It's just as well that he knows exactly where mum is, and she's waiting with a well-deserved cuddle.Monkey Puzzle is a clever, funny and charming tale from the unparalleled picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo. This handy board book format is perfect for younger readers. It features the classic story with a stunning redesigned cover and beautiful finish, making it a must-have for even the smallest Donaldson and Scheffler fans! Also available in board book format and with striking redesigned covers are: The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo's Child, Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, The Smartest Giant in Town, Charlie Cook's Favourite Book, and A Squash and a Squeeze.

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SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2017 MERCURY MUSIC PRIZELet Them Eat Chaos, Kae Tempest's new long poem written for live performance and heard on the album release of the same name, is both a powerful sermon and a moving play for voices. Seven neighbours inhabit the same London street, but are all unknown to each other. The clock freezes in the small hours, and, one by one, we see directly into their lives: lives that are damaged, disenfranchised, lonely, broken, addicted, and all, apparently, without hope. Then a great storm breaks over London, and brings them out into the night to face each other - and their last chance to connect. Tempest argues that our alienation from one another has bred a terrible indifference to our own fate, but they counters this with a plea to challenge the forces of greed which have conspired to divide us, and mend the broken home of our own planet while we still have time. Let Them Eat Chaos is a cri de coeur and a call to action, and, both on the page and in Tempest's electric performance, one of the most powerful poetic statements of the year.

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'A lovely debut from a gifted young author. Violet Moller brings to life the ways in which knowledge reached us from antiquity to the present day in a book that is as delightful as it is readable.' Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk RoadsIn The Map of Knowledge Violet Moller traces the journey taken by the ideas of three of the greatest scientists of antiquity – Euclid, Galen and Ptolemy – through seven cities and over a thousand years. In it, we follow them from sixth-century Alexandria to ninth-century Baghdad, from Muslim Cordoba to Catholic Toledo, from Salerno’s medieval medical school to Palermo, capital of Sicily’s vibrant mix of cultures, and – finally – to Venice, where that great merchant city’s printing presses would enable Euclid’s geometry, Ptolemy’s system of the stars and Galen’s vast body of writings on medicine to spread even more widely. In tracing these fragile strands of knowledge from century to century, from east to west and north to south, Moller also reveals the web of connections between the Islamic world and Christendom, connections that would both preserve and transform astronomy, mathematics and medicine from the early Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Vividly told and with a dazzling cast of characters, The Map of Knowledge is an evocative, nuanced and vibrant account of our common intellectual heritage.'An endlessly fascinating book, rich in detail, capacious and humane in vision.' Stephen Greenblatt, author of The Swerve: How the World Became Modern

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Carol Ann Duffy's outstanding first collection, Standing Female Nude, introduced readers to all they would come to love about her poetry. From lovers to wives to war photographers, the poems it contains range from the delicately poignant to the fiercely political, exploring memory, gender, childhood and place. Within it are also some of her best-known poems, including 'Education for Leisure', as well as, of course, the poem from which the collection takes its title. First published in 1985 to widespread critical acclaim, Standing Female Nude is a work of startling originality and the starting point of the Poet Laureate's dazzling poetic career.

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With an introduction by Simon CallowJudgements about the quality of works of art begin in opinion. But for the last two hundred years only the wilfully perverse (and Tolstoy) have denied the validity of the opinion that Shakespeare was a genius.Who was Shakespeare? Why has his writing endured? And what makes it so endlessly adaptable to different times and cultures? Exploring Shakespeare's life, including questions of authorship and autobiography, and charting how his legacy has grown over the centuries, this extraordinary book asks how Shakespeare has come to be such a powerful symbol of genius.Written with lively passion and wit, The Genius of Shakespeare is a fascinating biography of the life - and afterlife - of our greatest poet. Jonathan Bate, one of the world's leading Shakespearean scholars, has shown how the legend of Shakespeare's genius was created and sustained, and how the man himself became a truly global phenomenon.'The best modern book on Shakespeare' Sir Peter Hall

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Affecting 80% of the population, leaky gut syndrome is the root cause of a litany of ailments, including chronic inflammation, allergies, autoimmune diseases, hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, diabetes, and even arthritis.In order to keep us in good health, our gut relies on maintaining a symbiotic relationship with trillions of microorganisms that live in our digestive tract. In Eat Dirt, Dr Axe explains that what we regard as modern improvements to our food supply – including refrigeration, sanitation, and modified grains – have damaged our intestinal health. In fact, the same organisms in soil that allow plants and animals to flourish are the ones we need for gut health. When our digestive system is out of whack, serious health problems can manifest and our intestinal walls can develop microscopic holes, allowing undigested food particles, bacteria, and toxins to seep into the bloodstream. This condition is known as leaky gut syndrome and manifests differently in every individual.In Eat Dirt, Dr Axe identifies the five main types of leaky gut syndrome and offers customizable 30-day plans for diagnosing and treating each 'gut type' with diet, lifestyle, and supplementation. He explains that it's essential to get a little 'dirty' in our daily lives in order to support our gut bacteria and prevent leaky gut syndrome, and offers simple ways to get these needed microbes, from incorporating local honey and bee pollen into your diet to forgoing hand sanitizers and even ingesting a little probiotic-rich soil. The premise is simple: identify your gut type, learn which foods to eat and to avoid, incorporate your daily dose of 'dirt', and make simple lifestyle changes.

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Eclectic and impassioned, a collection that affirms the power of the written word.' – ObserverThe Boy Behind the Curtain is a portrait of a life, a place and a man. In this deeply personal collection of true stories and essays Tim Winton shows how moments from his childhood and life growing up have shaped his views on class, faith, fundamentalism, the environment, and – most pressingly – how all his experiences have made him a writer. From unexpected links between car crashes and faith, surfing and writing, to the story of his upbringing in the changing Australian landscape, The Boy Behind the Curtain is an impassioned, funny, joyous, astonishing collection of memories, and Winton's most personal book to date.

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Judith Flanders is the author of several critically acclaimed and bestselling books: A Circle of Sisters, which was nominated for the Guardian First Book Award; The Invention of Murder, shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for Non-fiction; The Victorian House: Domestic Life from Childbirth to Deathbed; The Victorian City: Everyday Life in Dickens' London, shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times History Book of the Year; The Making of Home, Christmas: A History, and A Place for Everything: The Curious History of Alphabetical Order. In her copious leisure time, she also writes the Sam Clair series of comic crime novels.

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From the bestselling author of Summer at Shell Cottage comes The Year of Taking Chances, a novel full of warmth, humour and romance. Because love is always worth the risk . . .It's New Year's Eve, and Gemma and Spencer Bailey are throwing a house party. There's music, dancing, champagne and all their best friends under one roof. It's going to be a night to remember.Also at the party is Caitlin, who has returned to the village to pack up her much-missed mum's house and to figure out what to do with her life; and Saffron, a PR executive who's keeping a secret which no amount of spin can change. The three women bond over Gemma's dodgy cocktails and fortune cookies, and vow to make this year their best one yet. But as the months unfold, Gemma, Saffron and Caitlin find themselves tested to their limits by shocking new developments. Family, love, work, home - all the things they've taken for granted are thrown into disarray. Under pressure, they are each forced to rethink their lives and start over. But dare they take a chance on something new?

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'A Time of Dread reminds me of why I became a fantasy enthusiast in the first place' – Robin Hobb, author of Assassin's Apprentice.Set in the same world as the Faithful and the Fallen quartet, the first novel in John Gwynne's Of Blood and Bone series, A Time of Dread, takes place one hundred years after the end of Wrath. The Ben-Elim, a race of warrior angels, once vanquished a mighty demon horde. Now they rule the Banished lands. But their dominion is brutally enforced and their ancient enemy may not be as crushed as they thought. In the snowbound north, Drem, a trapper, finds mutilated corpses in the forests – a sign of demonic black magic. In the south, Riv, a young, tempestuous soldier, discovers a deadly rift within the Ben-Elim themselves. Two individuals with two world-changing secrets. But where will they lead? And what role will Drem and Riv play in the Banished Land's fate? Difficult choices need to be made. Because in the shadows, demons are gathering, waiting for their time to rise. . .Continue the heroic fantasy series with A Time of Blood.'A truly excellent read . . . Exciting, well-written swords and sorcery. Try it on for size' – Mark Lawrence, author of The Broken Empire.'John Gwynne is one of the modern masters of heroic fantasy' – Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time.

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A Boy's Own Story traces an unnamed narrator's coming-of-age during the 1950s. With an introduction by Alan Hollinghurst, author of The Line of Beauty.It was his power that stupefied me and made me regard my knowledge as nothing more than hired cleverness he might choose to show off at a dinner party.Beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, the unamed boy struggles with his sexuality, seeking consolation in art and literature, and in his own fantastic imagination as he fills his head with romantic expectations. The result is a book of exquisite poignancy and humour that moves towards a conclusion which will allow the boy to leave behind his childhood forever.Originally published in 1982 as the first of Edmund White's trilogy of autobiographical novels, A Boy's Own Story became an instant classic for its pioneering portrayal of homosexuality. Lyrical and powerfully evocative, this is an American literary treasure.'Edmund White has crossed The Catcher in the Rye with De Profundis, J. D. Salinger with Oscar Wilde, to create an extraordinary novel' – New York Times

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Meet a very helpful giant in this funny, big-hearted tale from the unparalleled picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo. George wished he wasn't the scruffiest giant in town. So when he sees a new shop selling giant-sized clothes, he decides it's time for a new look: smart trousers, smart shirt, stripy tie, shiny shoes. Now he's the smartest giant in town . . . until he bumps into some animals who desperately need his help – and his clothes!This edition features the classic story with a stunning redesigned cover and beautiful finish, making it a must-have addition to the bookshelves of all Donaldson and Scheffler fans – big and small!Also available with redesigned covers are: The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo's Child, Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, Monkey Puzzle, Charlie Cook's Favourite Book, and A Squash and a Squeeze.

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With lots to see and heaps to do, in Busy Baking young children can join in by pushing, pulling and turning the tabs to bake some treats for a party. Collect the ingredients, beat the eggs and decorate the cake with lots of strawberries. Little ones will love playing with this bright and colourful board book with gentle rhyming text and wonderful illustrations by Louise Forshaw, which is part of the Busy Book series.There's lots more fun to be had with Busy Playtime, Busy Home, and Busy Café.

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The Dream Daughter is a page-turning and unforgettable story of love and hope from bestselling author Diane Chamberlain.When Caroline Sears receives the news that her unborn baby girl has a heart defect, she is devastated. It is 1970 and there seems to be little that can be done. But her brother-in-law, a physicist, tells her that perhaps there is. Hunter appeared in their lives just a few years before – and his appearance was as mysterious as his past. With no family, no friends, and a background shrouded in secrets, Hunter embraced the Sears family and never looked back. Now, Hunter is telling her that something can be done about her baby's heart. Something that will shatter every preconceived notion that Caroline has. Something that will require a kind of strength and courage that Caroline never knew existed. Something that will mean a mind-bending leap of faith on Caroline's part.And all for the love of her unborn child.

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'Another meticulously researched and stunningly written novel by a much-loved and highly accomplished author. I adored it!' - Santa Montefiore'The Ghost Ship is utterly absorbing. I couldn’t put it down' - Louise MinchinPiracy. Romance. Revenge. Across the seas of the seventeenth century, two seafarers are forced to fight for their love and their lives. The sequel to The City of Tears, The Ghost Ship is the third novel in The Joubert Family Chronicles from bestselling author Kate Mosse.The Barbary Coast, 1621. A mysterious vessel floats silently on the water. It is known only as the Ghost Ship. For months, its captain - Louise Reydon-Joubert - and her courageous crew has hunted pirates to liberate those enslaved during the course of their merciless raids.But now the Ghost Ship is under attack – its hull splintered, its sails tattered and burnt, and the crew at risk of capture. But the bravest among them are not who they seem. Louise is fleeing a miscarriage of justice; her lover, Gilles Barenton, is at risk of being exposed - she is forced to masquerade as her brother. The stakes could not be higher: if arrested, they will be hanged for their crimes. Can they survive the journey and escape their fate?A sweeping and epic queer love story, ranging from France in 1610 to Amsterdam and the Canary Islands in the 1620s, The Ghost Ship is a thrilling novel of adventure and buccaneering, love and revenge, stolen fortunes and hidden secrets on the High Seas. Most of all, it is a tale of defiant women in a man's world.

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From the Carnegie Medal-winning author of Marnie Wasn't There, Joan G. Robinson, comes the beloved children's character, Teddy Robinson, who has been enchanting readers since his first appearance in 1953. Illustrated with the author's original black line illustrations, Teddy Robinson meets Father Christmas and other stories is a heartwarming collection of tales that will appeal to fans old and new. Join Teddy Robinson as he has goes to the fair, meets Father Christmas and plays babysitter. He's sometimes rather shy and sometimes a bit of a show-off - but with his love of rhymes and his great imagination, Teddy Robinson is the best friend any child could have.

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'Part memoir, part true crime, wholly brilliant.' – Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train.When law student Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich is asked to work on a death-row hearing for convicted murderer and child molester Ricky Langley, she finds herself thrust into the tangled story of his childhood. As she digs deeper and deeper into the case she realizes that, despite their vastly different circumstances, something in his story is unsettlingly, uncannily familiar.The Fact of a Body is both an enthralling memoir and a groundbreaking, heart-stopping investigation into how the law is personal, composed of individual stories, and proof that arriving at the truth is more complicated, and powerful, than we could ever imagine.

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In Real Love, one of the world's leading authorities on love tells us how to find it, how to nurture it, how to honor it—and most of all how to rethink it ... This book has the power to set your heart at peace.' —Susan Cain, author of QuietWhat is love? Sharon Salzberg believes that love is a powerful healing force for us all, and that modern associations with romance and adoration are limiting. By redefining love, she helps us to recognize our desire for happiness and enhance our connections with each other. Real Love is a creative toolkit of mindfulness exercises and meditation techniques that can help you to truly engage with your present experience and create deeper love relationships - with yourself, your partner, friends and family, and with life itself. The book encourages us to strip away layers of negative habits and obstacles and to improve deeper connections, helping us to experience authentic love based on direct experience, rather than preconceptions.

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A Sunday Times History Book of the Year 2019Shortlisted for The Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year Award'No Briton has written better than Winder about Europe' - Sunday TimesIn AD 843, the three surviving grandsons of the great Emperor Charlemagne met at Verdun. After years of bitter squabbles over who would inherit the family land, they finally decided to divide the territory and go their separate ways. In a moment of staggering significance, one grandson inherited what became France, another Germany and the third Lotharingia: the chunk that initially divided the other two. The dynamic between these three great zones has dictated much of our subsequent fate.In this beguiling, hilarious and compelling book we retrace how both from west and from east any number of ambitious characters have tried and failed to grapple with these Lotharingians, who ultimately became Dutch, German, Belgian, French, Luxembourgers and Swiss. Over many centuries, not only has Lotharingia brought forth many of Europe's greatest artists, inventors and thinkers, but it has also reduced many a would-be conqueror to helpless tears of rage and frustration. Joining Germania and Danubia in Simon Winder's endlessly fascinating retelling of European history, Lotharingia is a personal, wonderful and gripping story.

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'This is a wise, lucid, beautiful book that will help you be less afraid and more alive. Read it as soon as you can; it will change you.' Dr Lucy KalanithiDeath is not waiting for us at the end of a long road. Death is always with us, in the marrow of every passing moment, a secret teacher hiding in plain sight, helping us to discover what matters most in life. So begins Frank Ostaseski's stirring book, The Five Invitations, an exhilarating meditation on the meaning of life and how maintaining an ever-present awareness of death can bring us closer to our truest selves. In his thirty-plus years as a companion to the dying, Frank Ostaseski has sat on the precipice of death with more than a thousand people. A renowned teacher of compassionate care-giving, Ostaseski has distilled the lessons gleaned over the course of his career into a powerful and inspiring exploration of the essential wisdom dying has to impart to all of us about how to forge rich and meaningful lives. The 'Five Invitations' - Welcome Everything, Push Away Nothing; Bring Your Whole Self to the Experience; Don't Wait; Find a Place of Rest in the Middle of Things; and Cultivate a Don't Know Mind - show how death can be the guide we need to wake up fully to our lives. This stunning, unforgettable book offers a radical path to transformation.

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Mom, I went to the store. See inside the fridge. I watered the plants. I cleaned out Peter's cage. I tidied the sitting room. And the kitchen. And I did the washing up. I'm going to bed. Your live-in servant, Claire Life on the Refrigerator Door is told exclusively through notes exchanged by Claire and her mother, Elizabeth, during the course of a life-altering year. Their story builds to an emotional crescendo when Elizabeth is diagnosed with breast cancer. Stunningly sad but ultimately uplifting, this is a clever, moving, and original portrait of the relationship between a daughter and mother. It is about how we live our lives constantly rushing, and never making time for those we love. It is also an elegy to how much can be said in so few words, if only we made the time to say them.A new edition of this simultaneously heartbreaking and heart-warming novel by Alice Kuipers.

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Unwind with the world's favourite storyteller Danielle Steel in Against All Odds, a powerful family story of a mother's unconditional love.Kate Madison’s stylish boutique has been a big success in New York, supporting her and her four children since her husband’s untimely death. Now, her children have grown up and are ready to forge lives of their own.Isabelle, a dedicated attorney, falls for a client in a criminal case. She tells herself she can make a life with him – but can she?Julie, a young designer, meets a man who seems too good to be true. She gives up her job and moves to LA to be at his side, ignoring the signs of danger.Justin is a struggling writer who pushes his partner for children, before they’re financially or emotionally ready.And Willie, the youngest, makes a choice that shocks them all . . .As life pulls her children in different directions, can Kate keep her family together – against all odds?

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Death is Now My Neighbour is the twelfth novel in Colin Dexter's Oxford-set detective series.As he drove his chief down to Kidlington, Lewis returned the conversation to where it had begun. 'You haven't told me what you think about this fellow Owens – the dead woman's next-door neighbour.' 'Death is always the next-door neighbour,' said Morse sombrely. The murder of a young woman . . . A cryptic 'seventeenth-century' love poem . . . And a photograph of a mystery grey-haired man . . .More than enough to set Chief Inspector E. Morse on the trail of a killer.And it's a trail that leads him to Lonsdale College, where the contest between Julian Storrs and Dr Denis Cornford for the coveted position of Master is hotting up.But then Morse faces a greater, far more personal crisis . . .Death is Now My Neighbour is followed by the thirteenth Inspector Morse book, The Remorseful Day.

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'I loved Our Souls at Night' – David Nicholls, author of One Day.This is a love story. A story about growing old with grace.Addie Moore and Louis Waters have been neighbours for years. Now they both live alone, their houses empty of family, their quiet nights solitary. Then one evening Addie pays Louis a visit.Their brave adventures form the beating heart of Our Souls at Night, Kent Haruf's exquisite final novel.

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Montalbano's First Case and Other Stories is a brilliant collection of short stories, personally chosen by Andrea Camilleri.It follows Inspector Montalbano from his very first case in Vigàta, in which he stumbles upon a young girl lurking outside a courthouse with a pistol in her handbag. When she is taken in for questioning and won't utter a single word, Montalbano must find another way to learn who she is trying to kill, and why . . .Other cases include a missing woman who has run away from the love of her life; an old married couple who appear to be rehearsing their suicides; and a crime so dark there's only one person the inspector can call for help.With twists and turns aplenty, these short stories have all the wit, mystery and culinary gusto that Camilleri's fans have come to love him for.

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Amsterdam, 1943 Hanneke spends her days procuring and delivering sought-after black-market goods to paying customers, her nights hiding the true nature of her work from her concerned parents, and every waking moment mourning her boyfriend, who was killed on the front line when the Germans invaded. She likes to think of her illegal work as a small act of rebellion. But one day Hanneke gets a very unusual request. One of her regular customers asks her to find a girl. A girl who has disappeared from the secret room in her house. A Jewish girl . . .As she searches for clues Hanneke is drawn into a dangerous web of lies, secrets and mysteries. Can she find the runaway before the Nazis do?Meticulously researched, intricately plotted and beautifully written, The Girl in the Blue Coat is the extraordinarily gripping novel from Monica Hesse.'A gripping historical mystery' Publishers Weekly, starred review

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From the beginning, readers have come to O for help in figuring out who they were meant to be. O's Little Guide to Finding Your True Purpose is a blend of practical advice and real-life stories of trial, error and triumph. Each entry in this engaging and thoughtful volume guides readers in their quest to come into their own.Contributors include Paige Williams on the lessons she learned from aptitude testing; Martha Beck on how to chart your course; Patti Smith on how she found her calling; Elizabeth Gilbert on the enlightening aspects of failure; Caroline Myss on discovering your best path; and more.'Every single person who is born has a purpose,' Oprah Winfrey has said. 'Sometimes your calling is right in your own neighbourhood.'

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From the much-loved author of the Cazalet Chronicles comes Elizabeth Jane Howard's first children's book, The Amazing Adventures of Freddie Whitemouse, following the magical journey of a mouse who wishes to be anything but himself.The trouble was that Freddie really did not like being a mouse. 'It's just a phase,' his mother said, but it wasn't . . .Little Freddie Whitemouse, of No.16, Skirting Board West, simply hates being a mouse. Mice are terribly small, frightened of everything, and aren't allowed to have any fun at all. Instead, he longs to be a fierce tiger, king of the jungle floor; or someone's treasured dog, able to run and play all day.So when a sorcerer toad hears Freddie's pleas and offers his assistance, there is really little else Freddie could ask for.So as not to make any rash decisions, Freddie agrees to spend a week as each animal. But what will he discover on his amazing adventure? And will he ever want to be just a plain old mouse again?'Emotionally powerful as well as entertaining' – Sunday Times

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From Andrea Camilleri, the bestselling author of the Inspector Montalbano mysteries, comes The Brewer of Preston, a hilarious standalone comedy.1870s Sicily. Much to the displeasure of Vigàta's stubborn populace, the town has just been unified under the Kingdom of Italy. They're now in the hands of a new government they don't understand, and they definitely don't like. Eugenio Bortuzzi has been named Prefect for Vigàta, a regional representative from the Italian government tasked to oversee the town. But the rowdy and unruly Sicilians don't care much for this rather pompous mainlander nor the mediocre opera he's hell-bent on producing in their new municipal theatre. The Brewer of Preston, it's called, and the Vigàtese are revving up to wreak havoc on the performance's opening night . . .

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Run by Mandasue Heller is a gritty story of Manchester's criminal underworld.After being cheated on by her ex, Leanne Riley is trying her hardest to get her life back on track, which isn't easy without a job and living in a bedsit surrounded by a junkie and a mad woman.On a night out with her best friend she meets Jake, a face from her past who has changed beyond all recognition. Jake is charming, handsome and loaded, a far cry from the gawky teenager he used to be. Weary of men, Leanne isn't easy to please, but Jake tries his best to break through the wall she's built around herself.But good looks and money can hide a multitude of sins. Is that good-looking face just a mask? And what's more, what will it take to make it slip, and who will die in the process . . . ?'Heller doesn’t mince words, her gritty plots create a Manchester underworld to rival Martina Cole’s raw and rough East End' – Peterborough Evening Telegraph

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Just as Long as We're Together is Judy Blume's classic novel about changing friendships. From the bestselling author of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.Stephanie and Rachel have been best friends for years, in spite of their differences. Alison is new in town, and immediately becomes an integral part of their group. But is it possible to have two best friends? And how can you call anyone a friend if you can't tell them your most painful secrets?Just as Long as We're Together is followed by the sequel Here's to You, Rachel Robinson.

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The second fantasy novel in the Witchlands series, Windwitch is the action-packed sequel to Truthwitch, and is perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Robin Hobb.Sometimes our enemies become our only allies . . .The Windwitch Prince Merik is presumed dead after a lethal explosion. However, he’s scarred but alive, and determined to expose his sister’s treachery. Yet on reaching the royal capital, he’s shocked to find refugees fleeing conflict. Merik haunts the streets, fighting for the weak – sparking rumours of the Fury, a disfigured demigod who dispenses justice.While searching for Safi, Iseult is cornered by the Bloodwitch Aeduan. She proposes a deal: she’ll return what was stolen from him if he locates the Truthwitch. Yet unknown to Iseult, there’s a bounty on her head – and Aeduan intends to claim it. Meanwhile, Safi and the Marstoki Empress survive a shipwreck, then find themselves among brigands. And their captors plan to unleash war upon the Witchlands . . .Praise for the series:'This book will delight you' – Robin Hobb, author of The Farseer Trilogy'Susan Dennard has worldbuilding after my own heart. It’s so good it’s intimidating' – Victoria Aveyard, author of the Red Queen series

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'Some bright kid's got a gun and 2000 rounds of live ammo. And that gun's no pea-shooter. It'll go through a brick wall at a quarter of a mile.' Chas McGill has the second-best collection of war souvenirs in Garmouth, and he desperately wants it to be the best. When he stumbles across the remains of a German bomber crashed in the woods - its shiny, black machine-gun still intact - he grabs his chance. Soon he's masterminding his own war effort with dangerous and unexpected results . . . The Machine Gunners is Robert Westall's gripping first novel for children set during World War Two and winner of the Carnegie Medal. Now with a brilliant cover look celebrating its fortieth anniversary. Includes a bonus short story - 'The Haunting of Chas McGill' - and an extended biography of the author.

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‘Makes Game of Thrones look like Jackanory’ Independent on The Traitor The traitor Baru Cormorant is now the cryptarch Agonist – a secret lord of the corrupt empire she’s vowed to destroy. But to gain the power to shatter this Empire of Masks, she’s had to betray everyone she loved. She’s now hunted by a mutinous admiral and haunted by the wound which has split her mind in two. But Baru is still leading her dearest foes on an expedition, to gain the secret of immortality. It’s her best and perhaps only chance to trigger a war – one that would consume the Masquerade. But Baru’s heart is broken, and she fears she can no longer tell justice from revenge . . . or her own desires from the will of the man who remade her. The Monster is a breathtaking epic fantasy (published as The Monster Baru Cormorant in the US). It’s the sequel to The Traitor, Seth Dickinson’s powerful, critically acclaimed debut novel. 'A fascinating tale of political intrigue and national unrest' – Washington Post on The Traitor'Dickinson’s originality and ambition are to be applauded' – Guardian on The Traitor

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Davey's father has been murdered – and the aftermath is causing her family to fall apart. Tiger Eyes is bestselling author Judy Blume's most powerful, raw and emotional novel. From the author of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.Davey's heartbroken mum plucks them up and takes them to stay with her prim and proper aunt in Los Alamos. She escapes the claustrophobic house by cycling up to the canyon, where she meets a mysterious older boy called Wolf: intense, brooding and also about to lose someone close to him. But falling for someone won't make her dad come back – there are no easy answers when you need to stick your broken family back together . . .

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The Everywhere Bear has a home on a shelfBut he doesn't spend very much time by himself,For each boy and girl in the class is a friendAnd he goes home with one of them every weekend.The Everywhere Bear has a wonderful time with the children in Class One, but one day he gets more than he bargained for when he falls unnoticed from a backpack and embarks on his own big adventure! He's washed down a drain and whooshed out to sea, rescued by a fishing boat, loaded onto a lorry, carried off by a seagull . . . how will he ever make it back to Class One?The Everywhere Bear is a warm and engaging story from Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb, the creators of The Paper Dolls, which has sold over 200,000 copies worldwide and was shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenway Medal.

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How far would you go for someone you love?The Lola Quartet: Jack, Daniel, Sasha and Gavin, four talented musicians at the end of their high school careers. On the dream-like night of their last concert, Gavin's girlfriend Anna disappears. Ten years later Gavin sees a photograph of a little girl who looks uncannily like him and who shares Anna's surname, and suddenly he finds himself catapulted back to a secretive past he didn't realize he'd left behind. But that photo has set off a cascade of dangerous consequences and, as one by one the members of the Lola Quartet are reunited, a terrifying story emerges: of innocent mistakes, of secrecy and of a life lived on the run. Filled with love, music and thwarted dreams, Emily St. John Mandel's The Lola Quartet is a thrilling novel about how the errors of the past can threaten the future.

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