List
Best Fiction for Gifting
150 books Discoverable by Booko Admin
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Demon Slayer Complete Box Set: Includes Volumes 1-23 with Premium (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba)
Koyoharu Gotouge · 2021
Tanjiro sets out on the path of the Demon Slayer to save his sister and avenge his family! In Taisho-era Japan, kindhearted Tanjiro Kamado makes a living selling charcoal. But his peaceful life is shattered when a demon slaughters his entire family. His little sister Nezuko is the only survivor, but she has been transformed into a demon herself! Tanjiro sets out on a dangerous journey to find a way to return his sister to normal and destroy the demon who ruined his life. The complete saga of Demon Slayer, all in one epic box set! This box set contains all 23 volumes of the global hit Demon Slayer as well as an exclusive booklet and a double-sided poster.
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Blue Lock 8
Muneyuki Kaneshiro · 2023
A mad young coach gathers soccer players from across the country to compete in a series of bizarre challenges in a high-tech colosseum he calls Blue Lock. It's a no-balls-barred battle to become Japan's next top striker, in this Squid Game-meets-World Cup manga, now available in print! Anime airing now! The newly formed team of Isagi, Nagi, and Barou head to their next rival battle, where they face Kunigami, Chigiri, and Reo. Isagi knows their victory will depend on the team's ability to form a "chemical reaction" with their play styles. Isagi and Nagi have a fluid synergy, but Barou seems to be chafing against his new teammates... Who will emerge victorious from the battle of egos?!
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Fair Rosaline: The subversive, powerful untelling of Romeo and Juliet
Natasha Solomons · 2023
The extraordinary feminist retelling of Romeo and Juliet from the point of view of Rosaline, the woman Romeo loved first. Was the greatest love story of all time a lie? Romeo Montague is handsome and charming and the first time he sees young Rosaline Capulet, who has secretly snuck into his family's masquerade summer ball, he falls instantly in love. At first Rosaline is unsure of Romeo's attentions but with her father determined that she join the nunnery, Romeo offers her the chance of a different life. Gradually he convinces her that only true love could make him feel this way, that he is enraptured by her beauty. Indeed, he cannot live without her! And so begins the story of Romeo and Rosaline. These star-crossed lovers must keep everything hidden from Rosaline's family, at least until they are wed. But when a destitute young girl appears, claiming to be carrying Romeo's child, Rosaline starts to doubt all that she has been told. And as whispers of more girls reach her ears, what once felt like a courtship begins to feel more like a pursuit. As Rosaline recognises Romeo for the villain he truly is, his gaze turns suddenly towards Rosaline's adored and beautiful cousin, thirteen-year old Juliet. Can Rosaline save Juliet, who falls under Romeo's spell just as quickly as she did? Or can this story only ever end one way? The subversive, powerful untelling of Shakespeare's best know tale. A fierce, forgotten voice: this is Rosaline's story.
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It Starts with Us
Colleen Hoover · 2022
Before It Ends with Us, it started with Atlas. Colleen Hoover tells fan favourite Atlas’ side of the story and shares what comes next in this long-anticipated sequel to the #1 Sunday Times bestseller It Ends with Us.
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Sisters Under the Rising Sun
Heather Morris · 2023
Amid the turmoil of World War II, Norah Chambers, an English musician living in Malaya, sends her eight-year-old daughter Sally away on a ship bound for Australia, desperate to keep her safe from invading Japanese forces. Two months later, Norah has fled to Singapore. As has Australian nurse Nesta James, who had originally enlisted to care for Allied troops. But as the Japanese Army overruns the former British colony, she joins a terrified cargo of people, including the heartbroken Norah, crammed aboard the merchant ship Vyner Brooke. Only two days later, they are bombarded from the air off the coast of Indonesia, and in a matter of hours, the Vyner Brooke has sunk. After surviving 24 hours in the sea, Nesta and Norah reach the beaches of a remote island, only to be captured and held in a succession of Japanese POW camps, places of starvation and brutality, where disease runs rampant. But even here, joy can be found by those with the will to defy their desperate circumstances. When Norah forms a 'vocal orchestra', with the women's voices taking the place of instruments, their music has the power to bring hope into the midst of despair. Sisters in arms, Norah and Nesta fight side by side, discovering in themselves extraordinary reserves of courage, resourcefulness, humour and hope in their determination to retain their humanity by caring for others. Drawing upon their real-life experiences, Heather Morris chronicles the powerful bonds of sisterhood among the 500 Australian, English, Dutch and New Zealand women who struggled and survived together for nearly four years. The result of Heather's passionate commitment to ensuring that the bravery of these nurses, mothers and daughters is recognised, Sisters under the Rising Sun has all the elements loved by her millions of readers: strong women, courage against the odds and the power of friendship and community.
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The Song of Achilles
Madeline Miller · 2017
A beautiful new limited edition paperback of The Song of Achilles, published as part of the Bloomsbury Modern Classics listThe god touches his finger to the arrow's fletching. Then he breathes, a puff of air - as if to send dandelions flying, to push toy boats over water. And the arrow flies, straight and silent, in a curving, downward arc towards Achilles' back., Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their differences, the boys develop a tender friendship, a bond which blossoms into something deeper as they grow into young men., But when Helen of Sparta is kidnapped, Achilles is dispatched to distant Troy to fulfil his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.
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The Sugar Palace
Fiona McIntosh · 2023
‘How about we call it the Sugar Palace? And when people enter, we’ll make sure it feels like a colourful fairytale spun from sugar.’ Under the clamour of the Sydney Harbour Bridge being built nearby, Grace Fairweather is working in her father’s grocery shop in The Rocks when she begins making her own confectionery. Her colourful creations of toffees, lollies and chocolates soon become crowd favourites, and Grace begins to dream of one day opening her own sweetshop. When the roguish but irresistible Londoner Alfie Sweeting comes to work for the Fairweathers, his ambition for her success thrills her – so much so that she begins to question her engagement to Norman. Perhaps the ‘safe’ option in life isn’t the right thing for her after all. Alfie encourages her to open not just a sweetshop, but a delightful destination for young and old – a sugar palace! With Grace’s natural business acumen and Alfie’s creative sales skills, it seems like they could be the perfect pairing – in work and in love – but when Alfie’s criminal past catches up with him, both their lives come under threat and Grace is forced to make the most difficult decision of all. Moving between the colourful world of a carnival-like confectionery store and Sydney’s organised crime world of brothel madams, gambling dens and cocaine dealers, this is a thrilling romantic adventure that shows not everyone is to be trusted, and life isn’t always as sweet as it seems.
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All the Light We Cannot See
Anthony Doerr · 2015
WINNER OF THE 2015 PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTIONNATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALISTNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR FICTION A beautiful, stunningly ambitious novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever.' For Marie-Laure, blind since the age of six, the world is full of mazes. The miniature of a Paris neighbourhood, made by her father to teach her the way home. The microscopic layers within the invaluable diamond that her father guards in the Museum of Natural History., The walled city by the sea, where father and daughter take refuge when the Nazis invade Paris. And a future which draws her ever closer to Werner, a German orphan, destined to labour in the mines until a broken radio fills his life with possibility and brings him to the notice of the Hitler Youth. In this magnificent, deeply moving novel, the stories ofMarie-Laure and Werner illuminate the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.
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The Seven Sisters 6. The Sun Sister
Lucinda Riley · 2020
From the Sunday Times No.1 Bestselling author comes the latest instalment in an epic multi-million selling series, The Seven Sisters. To the outside world, Electra D'Aplièse seems to be the woman with everything: as one of the world's top models, she is beautiful, rich and famous. Yet beneath the veneer, and fuelled by the pressure of the life she leads, Electra's already tenuous control over her state of mind has been rocked by the death of her father, Pa Salt, the elusive billionaire who adopted his six daughters from across the globe. Struggling to cope, she turns to alcohol and drugs to ease the pain, and as those around her fear for her health, Electra receives a letter from a complete stranger who claims to be her grandmother . . . In 1939, Cecily Huntley-Morgan arrives in Kenya from New York to nurse a broken heart. Staying with her godmother, a member of the infamous Happy Valley set, on the shores of beautiful Lake Naivasha, she meets Bill Forsythe, a notorious bachelor and cattle farmer with close connections to the proud Maasai tribe. When disaster strikes and war is imminent, Cecily decides she has no choice but to accept Bill's proposal. Moving up into the Wanjohi Valley, and with Bill away, Cecily finds herself isolated and alone. Until she discovers a new-born baby abandoned in the woods next to her farmhouse . . . The Sun Sister is the sixth breathtaking instalment in Lucinda Riley's multi-million selling epic series, The Seven Sisters. 'Heart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly enthralling. The Seven Sisters series is Lucinda Riley at the top of her game: a magical storyteller who creates characters we fall in love with and who stay with us long after we finish reading. Dazzlingly good.' Lucy Foley, bestselling author of The Hunting Party
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Paradise: A totally addictive crime thriller packed with jaw-dropping twists
Patricia Wolf · 2023
A young family. A shocking attack. A dark case on the Gold Coast. The no. 1 internationally bestselling series. In a beach paradise, an unspeakable crime is committed. The only witness lies in a coma, fighting for her life... On a stunningly beautiful stretch of coastline, a young mother is brutally murdered and her daughter, Gabby, is left in a coma, with her life hanging in the balance. DS Lucas Walker has just arrived in Surfers Paradise for some much-needed recovery after injuries sustained in his last investigation. But he is soon pulled into the dark twists and turns of this home invasion gone wrong, vowing to find the men responsible. As Walker digs deeper into the dark underbelly of this shimmering city by the ocean, a case from his own past resurfaces, with deadly consequences. And as eight-year-old Gabby, the sole witness to her mother's murder, wakes in her hospital bed, Walker is in a race against time to stop those responsible before they return to silence her forever... Don't miss the next instalment in the tense and gripping DS Walker series. Fans ofJane Harper, Cara Hunter and Chris Whitaker will be hooked from the very first page until the final breathtaking conclusion. PRAISE FOR PATRICIA WOLF'S OUTBACK: 'Tense, atmospheric and gripping. I eagerly await the next DS Walker thriller' - CHRIS WHITAKER 'A hot read. I highly recommend it.' - LYNDA LA PLANTE CBE 'A tense, twisty read that gripped me from its shocking start, immersed me in its sun-scorched landscape, then raced to its satisfying conclusion' - SARAH YARWOOD-LOVETT 'Nail-bitingly tense. A startlingly well-accomplished debut.' - JOHN MARRS 'A setting so vivid it's almost a character within itself' - BECCA DAY
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The Silent Patient
Alex Michaelides · 2019
I love him so totally, completely, sometimes it threatens to overwhelm me. Sometimes I think . . . No. I won't write about that. ALICIA Alicia Berenson writes a diary as a release, an outlet - and to prove to her beloved husband that everything is fine. She can't bear the thought of worrying Gabriel, or causing him pain. Until, late one evening, Alicia shoots Gabriel five times and then never speaks another word. THEO Forensic psychotherapist Theo Faber is convinced he can successfully treat Alicia, where all others have failed. Obsessed with investigating her crime, his discoveries suggest Alicia's silence goes far deeper than he first thought. And if she speaks, would he want to hear the truth? THE SILENT PATIENT is a heart-stopping debut thriller about a woman's brutal and random act of violence against her husband - and the man obsessed with discovering why.
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The Great Deceiver: The gripping new novel from the bestselling author of the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries
Elly Griffiths · 2023
The next gripping volume in The Brighton Mysteries series by bestselling author Elly Griffiths. Magician Max Mephisto, now divorced and living in London, is on his way to visit daughter Ruby and her new-born baby when he is hailed by a voice from the past, fellow performer Ted English, aka the Great Deceiver. Ted's assistant, Cherry, has been found dead in her Brighton boarding house and he's convinced that he'll be accused of her murder. Max agrees to talk to his friend, Superintendent Edgar Stephens, who is investigating the case. What Max doesn't know is that the girl's family have hired private detective duo Emma Holmes (aka Mrs Stephens) and Sam Collins to do some digging of their own. The inhabitants of the boarding house, most of whom are performing in an Old Time Music Hall show on Brighton pier, are a motley crew. The house is also connected to a sinister radio personality called Pal. When a second magician's assistant is killed, Edgar suspects a serial killer. He persuades Max to come out of semi-retirement and take part in a summer show. But who can pose as his assistant? Edgar shocks the team by recommending someone close ... 'Original, lively and gripping' Independent 'Full of period detail, smart plotting and likeable characters' Mail on Sunday 'Full of fun and expertly plotted' Sunday Express
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The Armour of Light: Ken Follett (The Kingsbridge Novels)
Ken Follett · 2023
The grand master of gripping historical fiction is back. International No.1 bestseller Ken Follett returns to Kingsbridge with an epic tale of revolution and a cast of unforgettable characters. Revolution is in the air 1792. A tyrannical government is determined to make England a mighty commercial empire. In France, Napoleon Bonaparte begins his rise to power, and with dissent rife, France's neighbours are on high alert. Kingsbridge is on the edge Unprecedented industrial change sweeps the land, making the lives of the workers in Kingbridge's prosperous cloth mills a misery. Rampant modernization and dangerous new machinery are rendering jobs obsolete and tearing families apart. Tyranny is on the horizon Now, as international conflict nears, a story of a small group of Kingsbridge people - including spinner Sal Clitheroe, weaver David Shoveller and Kit, Sal's inventive and headstrong son - will come to define the struggle of a generation as they seek enlightenment and fight for a future free from oppression. . . Taking the reader straight into the heart of history with the fifth novel in the ground-breaking Kingsbridge series, The Armour of Light is master storyteller Ken Follett's most ambitious novel to date. 'Follett's storytelling skills make their adventures riveting' The Times 'An effortlessly engaging and entertaining read' Daily Mail 'Bold in scale and meticulously researched' The Sunday Times 'The plague scenes are expertly handled. Where Follett excels is in telling a yarn' Independent More than 175 million copies sold worldwide. Published in over eighty territories and thirty-seven languages. The international no.1 bestselling phenomenon returns.
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Light at Lavelle
Paullina Simons · 2023
It is 1929. The world is about to change. Finn Evans is a successful Boston banker harboring a secret that threatens to unravel his carefully constructed idyllic life. Isabelle Lazar, a young Ukrainian farm woman, endures unspeakable hardships in her homeland as she fights to save her family from the Soviet Union's iron grip. Barely escaping the Terror-Famine, she washes up alone on America's distant shores. Fate throws Finn and Isabelle together just as the stock market crash causes a devastating collapse of his world. Amid the Great Depression and the trials of their new lives, an undeniable connection grows between them that they both must hide. As their intertwined destinies hang in the balance, they discover that even those who have lost everything still have something left to lose.
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The Exchange
John Grisham · 2023
THE GRISHAM YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR What became of Mitch and Abby McDeere after they exposed the crimes of Memphis law firm Bendini, Lambert and Locke and fled the country? The answer is in THE EXCHANGE, the riveting sequel to THE FIRM, the blockbuster thriller that launched the career of the world's bestselling author. It is now fifteen years later, and Mitch and Abby are living in Manhattan, where Mitch is a partner at the largest law firm in the world. When a mentor in Rome asks him for a favour that will take him far from home, Mitch finds himself at the centre of a sinister plot that has worldwide implications - and once again endangers his colleagues, friends and family.
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Seven Sisters
Lucinda Riley · 2018
Their future is written in the stars . . . Maia D'Apliese and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, 'Atlantis' - a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva - having been told that their beloved father, the elusive billionaire they call Pa Salt, has died. Maia and her sisters were all adopted by him as babies and, discovering he has already been buried at sea, each of them is handed a tantalising clue to their true heritage - a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Once there, she begins to put together the pieces of where her story began . . . Eighty years earlier, in the Belle Epoque of Rio, 1927, Izabela Bonifacio's father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into aristocracy. Meanwhile, architect Heitor da Silva Costa is working on a statue, to be called Christ the Redeemer, and will soon travel to Paris to find the right sculptor to complete his vision. Izabela - passionate and longing to see the world - convinces her father to allow her to accompany him and his family to Europe before she is married. There, at Paul Landowski's studio and in the heady, vibrant cafes of Montparnasse, she meets ambitious young sculptor Laurent Brouilly, and knows at once that her life will never be the same again. The Seven Sisters is a sweeping epic tale of love and loss - the first in a unique, spellbinding series of seven books, based on the legends of the Seven Sisters star constellation - Lucinda Riley showcases her storytelling talent like never before.
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Too Late
Colleen Hoover · 2024
A breath-taking psychological suspense about obsession and dangerous love. The definitive edition of Too Late from the TikTok phenomenon and #1 bestselling author of Verity. Sloan will go through hell and back for those she loves. And she does so, every single day. Caught up with the alluring Asa Jackson, a notorious drug trafficker, Sloan has finally found a lifeline to cling to, even if it's meant compromising her morals. She was in dire straits trying to pay for her brother's care until she met Asa. But as Sloan became emotionally and economically reliant on him, he in turn developed a disturbing obsession with her - one that becomes increasingly dangerous every day. When undercover DEA agent Carter enters the picture, Sloan's surprised to feel an immediate attraction between them, despite knowing that if Asa finds out, he will kill him. And Asa has always been a step ahead of everyone in his life, including Sloan. No one has ever gotten in his way. No one except Carter. Together, Sloan and Carter must find a way out before it's too late . . . Verity was a No.1 Kindle bestseller on 18.03.22.
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The Naturalist of Amsterdam
Melissa Ashley · 2023
Another rich and sumptuously told tale based on the life of artist Dorothea Graff, from award-winning and bestselling author of The Birdman's Wife and The Bee and the Orange Tree, Melissa Ashley. Set in 1700s Amsterdam and the wilds of the South American jungle, it charts the creation of one of the most famous works by a female artist of all time: The Metamorphosis of the Insects of Suriname. At the turn of the 18th century, Amsterdam is at the centre of an intellectual revolution, with artists and scientists racing to record the wonders of the natural world. Of all the brilliant naturalists in Europe, Maria Sibylla Merian is one of its brightest stars.For as long as she can remember, Dorothea Graff's life has been lived in service to her mother, Maria: from collecting insects to colouring illustrations for Maria's world-famous publications. While Dorothea longs for a life that is truly her own, she constantly finds herself drawn back into her mother's world - and shadow. When Maria becomes entranced by the plant and insect life of Suriname, she is determined to record it for herself. At just twenty years old, Dorothea decides to join her on this once-in-a-lifetime journey. All the family's savings are ploughed into the dangerous expedition, but greatness is never achieved without sacrifice. The Metamorphosis of the Insects of Suriname will be Maria's masterpiece, but ensuring its legacy - and her own survival - will become her daughter's burden. When offered a chance of happiness, will Dorothea have the courage to take it, and risk everything her mother built? From the jungles of South America to the bustling artists' studios of Amsterdam, Melissa Ashley charts an incredible period of discovery. With stunning lyricism and immaculate research, The Naturalist of Amsterdam gives voice to the long-ignored women who shaped our understanding of the natural world - both the artists and those who made their work possible.
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The Night House
Jo Nesbø · 2023
From the internationally best-selling author comes a twisted, multi-layered spin on the classic horror novel for fans of Stranger Things and IT In the wake of his parents' tragic deaths in a house fire, fourteen-year-old Richard Elauved has been sent to live with his aunt and uncle in the remote, insular town of Ballantyne. Richard quickly earns a reputation as an outcast, and when a classmate named Tom goes missing, everyone suspects the new, angry boy is responsible for his disappearance. No one believes him when he says the telephone booth out by the edge of the woods sucked Tom into the receiver like something out of a horror movie. No one, that is, except Karen, a beguiling fellow outsider who encourages Richard to pursue clues the police refuse to investigate. He traces the number that Tom prank called from the phone booth to an abandoned house in the Black Mirror Wood. There he catches a glimpse of a terrifying face in the window. And then the voices begin to whisper in his ear . . . You know who I am. She's going to burn. The one you love is going to burn. There's not a thing you can do about it. When another classmate disappears, Richard must find a way to prove his innocence-and preserve his sanity-as he grapples with the dark magic that is possessing Ballantyne and pursuing his destruction. Then again, Richard may not be the most reliable narrator of his own story.
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The Dictionary of Lost Words
Pip Williams · 2020
In 1901, the word 'Bondmaid' was discovered missing from the Oxford English Dictionary. This is the story of the girl who stole it. Esme is born into a world of words. Motherless and irrepressibly curious, she spends her childhood in the 'Scriptorium', a garden shed in Oxford where her father and a team of dedicated lexicographers are collecting words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Esme's place is beneath the sorting table, unseen and unheard. One day a slip of paper containing the word 'bondmaid' flutters to the floor. Esme rescues the slip and stashes it in an old wooden case that belongs to her friend, Lizzie, a young servant in the big house. Esme begins to collect other words from the Scriptorium that are misplaced, discarded or have been neglected by the dictionary men. They help her make sense of the world. Over time, Esme realises that some words are considered more important than others, and that words and meanings relating to women's experiences often go unrecorded. While she dedicates her life to the Oxford English Dictionary, secretly, she begins to collect words for another dictionary: The Dictionary of Lost Words. Set when the women's suffrage movement was at its height and the Great War loomed, The Dictionary of Lost Words reveals a lost narrative, hidden between the lines of a history written by men. It's a delightful, lyrical and deeply thought-provoking celebration of words, and the power of language to shape the world and our experience of it.
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Salt River Road
Molly Schmidt · 2023
Introducing an exciting new voice in Australian fiction, Molly Schmidt, winner of the 2022 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award. Salt River Road is a compelling coming-of-age novel about grief and healing set in a small town in the 1970s. In the aftermath of their mother's death, the Tetley siblings' lives are falling apart. Left to fend for themselves as their family farm goes to ruins, Rose sets out to escape the grief and mess of home. When she meets Noongar Elders Patsy and Herbert, she finds herself drawn into a home where she has the chance to discover the strength of community, and to heal a wound her family has carried for a generation. Salt River Road is a poignant exploration of healing and resilience, small-town racism and the power of human connection. 'This story retains an innocence and a sense of decency even as it glides through pain, love and complex politics. It's refreshing, and open, and kind of tricky.' Kim Scott 'An amazing new talent.' Brett D'Arcy
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Lola in the Mirror
Trent Dalton · 2023
Bighearted, gritty, magical and moving, Lola in the Mirror is the irresistible new novel from international bestselling author of Boy Swallows Universe and All Our Shimmering Skies, Trent Dalton. 'Mirror, mirror, on the grass, what's my future? What's my past?'A girl and her mother are on the lam. They've been running for sixteen years, from police and the monster they left in the kitchen with the knife in his throat. They've found themselves a home inside an orange 1987 Toyota HiAce van with four flat tyres parked in a scrapyard by the edge of the Brisbane River - just two of the 100,000 Australians sleeping rough every night. The girl has no name because names are dangerous when you're on the run. But the girl has a dream. Visions in black ink and living colour. A vision of a life as a groundbreaking artist of international acclaim. A life outside the grip of the Brisbane underworld drug queen 'Lady' Flora Box. A life of love with the boy in the brown suit who's waiting for her in the middle of the bridge that stretches across a flooding and deadly river. A life far beyond the bullet that has her name on it. And now that the storm clouds are rising, there's only one person who can help make her dreams come true. That person's name is Lola and she carries all the answers. But to find Lola, the girl with no name must first do one of the hardest things we can sometimes ever do. She must look in the mirror.A big, moving, blackly funny, violent, heartbreaking and beautiful novel of love, fate, life and death and all the things we see when we look in the mirror. All of the past, all of the present, and all of our possible futures.'Mirror, mirror, please don't lie. Tell me who you are. Tell me who am I.'
from £32.12 3 shopsCompare prices -
So Close to Home
Mick Cummins · 2023
Eighteen-year-old Aaron is charismatic, resourceful and addicted to heroin. His mum has kicked him out of home in a last-ditch move to help him get straight, and he wanders the streets of South Melbourne, living on his wits and sleeping rough - all the while chasing drugs, dreams and love. Desperate to fund his addiction, Aaron climbs into the car of The Man, a distinguished elderly gentleman willing to pay for a certain kind of relationship. This regular cash could be the lifeline Aaron needs to start again, but The Man keeps raising spectres from Aaron's past that he'd rather forget. As Aaron gathers the courage to confront the events that derailed his life, his rage grows - and the consequences could be fatal. So Close to Home is a pacey, gritty and captivating novel exploring homelessness, power dynamics and the ties that bind. Social worker, debut author and winner of the prestigious VPLA for Unpublished Manuscript Mick Cummins has created a striking, emotionally complex and unnervingly tense narrative that poses one simple question: who can we ever truly rely on?
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Wildfire
Hannah Grace · 2023
From the author of TikTok sensation Icebreaker comes a deliciously swoonworthy romance following two summer camp counsellors who reconnect after a sizzling one-night stand. When Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts cross paths at a college party, a drinking game results in a passionate one-night stand. Never one to overstay her welcome (or expect much from a man), Aurora slips away before Russ even has the chance to ask her full name. Imagine their surprise when they bump into each other on their first day as summer camp counsellors, hoping to escape their complicated home lives for the summer break. Russ hopes to avoid dealing with his father's gambling addiction while Aurora, tired of craving attention from everyone around her, wants to go back to the last place she truly felt at home. As the summer unfolds, the tension between them intensifies. Russ doesn't want to risk breaking the camp's strict 'no staff fraternising' rule but, unfortunately for him, Aurora has never been very good at caring about rules. Will the two learn to peacefully co-exist? Or did their one night together start a fire they can't put out?
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Fish Butchery: Mastering The Catch, Cut, And Craft
Josh Niland · 2023
James Beard award-winning author and culinary game-changer Josh Niland returns with the ultimate guide to the art of Fish Butchery, with expert techniques and groundbreaking recipes that are an urgent call for action on culinary sustainability. Josh's multi award-winning debut The Whole Fish Cookbook created a new blueprint for fish cookery, while its bestselling sequel Take One Fish unpacked 15 different species to reveal their true gastronomic potential. In this latest book, Josh continues to open our eyes to the potential of fish in the kitchen. Presented in three stunning sections - Catch, Cut and Craft - it's both a challenge to the food industry to do things differently and a dazzling manual to the eye-popping potential in each and every fish. Featuring detailed instructions on how to prepare fish - from reverse butterfly to double saddle - as well as over 40 brilliant recipes for everything from fish sticks to pies, sausage and chorizo, Fish Butchery will disrupt, challenge and inspire the next generation.
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The Twat Files
Dawn French · 2023
A hugely relatable, funny, honest and inspirational 'memoir of sorts' in which Dawn celebrates what it means to be gloriously, messily human
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Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year
Joanna Nell · 2023
Husband and wife GPs Alan and Heather Winterbottom have worked side by side in their idyllic rural practice for over forty years but now they've decided to hang up their stethoscopes and retire. Joy! Celebration! Or not . . . Heather dreams of exploring the Greek Islands, of escaping the shackles of her routine life and embracing an exciting new adventure. Alan dreams of growing his own vegetables. When things come to a head at a family lunch, Heather announces that she has decided to take a year off. From her old life, from her marriage - from Alan. Alone in beautiful Greece, Heather embarks on her very own odyssey - complete with unforgettable experiences, pitfalls and temptations. But could what's waiting for her back in Netherwood be Heather's biggest adventure yet? Praise for Joanna Nell's bestselling novels including The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village: 'Takes readers on a sweet journey. A warm-hearted read from Nell, who tells engaging stories with older protagonists' The Australian 'Tender and funny' Woman's Weekly 'Whip-smart dialogue, humour and sarcasm ... highly addictive' Sun Herald 'The Tea Ladies is a delight. Warm characters and observations and great pace' AMANDA HAMPSON 'Another funny, warm-hearted read' Herald Sun
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A Woman Of Courage
Tania Blanchard · 2024
A stunning, moving story of love, tenacity and the right to be heard by bestseller Tania Blanchard, inspired by a true story 1890, Northern England. Hannah Todd dreams of a future where women have the right to vote. Fresh from her teaching studies in Durham, the university city, she joins her parents in a rural village, brimming with newly found passion and the groundswell towards women's suffrage unfolding in London. Working tirelessly to help women and children in the county, Hannah is determined to make the fight for the vote her life's work, adding her voice to the rising chorus across the nation and hopes of a new world and a new way of thinking. But soon she must fight a new, unexpected battle - that of the yearning of her own heart - and discovers that when power is threatened, darkness, brutality and dangerous, closely guarded secrets are never too far from the surface. How far can she go to fight for what's right? From the exciting, progressive hive of London to the traditional villages of the rural north, A Woman of Courage rings with the strength and struggles of women at time of momentous change ... and the choices one woman must make for her voice to be heard.
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Normal People
Sally Rooney · 2019
Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2018 Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in rural Ireland. The similarities end there; they are from very different worlds. When they both earn places at Trinity College in Dublin, a connection that has grown between them lasts long into the following years. This is an exquisite love story about how a person can change another person's life - a simple yet profound realisation that unfolds beautifully over the course of the novel. It tells us how difficult it is to talk about how we feel and it tells us - blazingly - about cycles of domination, legitimacy and privilege. Alternating menace with overwhelming tenderness, Sally Rooney's second novel breathes fiction with new life.
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The Fragile Threads of Power
Schwab, V.E. · 2023
The Fragile Threads of Power. Set in the Shades of Magic universe, this epic fantasy features familiar characters and setting, introducing a new generation of magic, shadows and adventure into the muchloved world. Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power, and connected by a single city: London, until the magic grew too fast, and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed and now, only three Antari are known in recent memory-Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk, of White London. But barely a glimpse of them have been seen in the last seven years - and a new Antari named Kosika has appeared in White London, taking the throne in Holland's absence, it continues. "The young queen is willing to feed her city with blood, including her own - but her growing religious fervor has the potential to drown them instead. And back in Red London, King Rhy Maresh is threatened by a rising rebellion, one determined to correct the balance of power by razing the throne entirely. Amidst this tapestry of old friends and new enemies, a girl with an unusual magical ability comes into possession of a device that could change the fate of all four worlds," the description concludes. "Her name is Tes, and she's the only one who can bring them together - or unravel it all."
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Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Geoffrey Trousselot · 2019
In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time. In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, we meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the café's time-travelling offer, in order to: confront the man who left them, receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by early onset Alzheimer's, to see their sister one last time, and to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know. But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the café, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold ... Toshikazu Kawaguchi's beautiful, moving story explores the age-old question: what would you change if you could travel back in time? More importantly, who would you want to meet, maybe for one last time?
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The Family Upstairs
Lisa Jewell · 2020
'I swear I didn't breathe the whole time I was reading it. Gripping, pacy, brilliantly twisty.' CLARE MACKINTOSH 'Creepy, intricate and utterly immersive- an excellent holiday read.' GUARDIAN 'A twisty and engrossing story of betrayal and redemption.' IAN RANKIN FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THEN SHE WAS GONE In a large house in London's fashionable Chelsea, a baby is awake in her cot. Well-fed and cared for, she is happily waiting for someone to pick her up. In the kitchen lie three decomposing corpses. Close to them is a hastily scrawled note. They've been dead for several days. Who has been looking after the baby? And where did they go? Two entangled families. A house with the darkest of secrets. A compulsive new thriller from Lisa Jewell. 'Rich, dark and intricately twisted, this enthralling whodunnit mixes family saga with domestic noir to brilliantly chilling effect.' RUTH WARE 'You don't read a Lisa Jewell book, you fall into it. It takes huge talent to establish a whole world in the turn of two pages.' ERIN KELLY 'I had an unrelentingly pleasurable and thrilling for-God's-sake-tell-me-what-happened sensation in my stomach for the entire read ... Stupendous!' RUTH JONES 'Absolutely brilliant. Great characterisation, a fascinating and dark set up and a great conclusion. She's always great but this is next level stuff.' SARAH PINBOROUGH 'Few writers of psychological suspense devise such swift, slippery plots; fewer still people their stories with characters so human and complex. Lisa's Jewell's The Family Upstairs glitters like a blade and cuts even deeper.' AJ FINN 'Whenever I pick up a Lisa Jewell novel I know I'm in for a compelling, immersive and unputdownable read and The Family Upstairs is one of her very best' CL TAYLOR 'I had hoped to save The Family Upstairs for my holiday, but failed miserably ... I was hooked from the first page. I think it's her best yet and hands down my favourite book so far this year.' ALICE FEENEY 'Utterly compelling. Deliciously dark and twisty with characters who live on in your head. Lisa Jewell just keeps getting better and better.' JANE CORRY 'This is my pick of the crop of thrillers out this month ... Lisa Jewell is brilliant at creating a menacing atmosphere and this is almost unbelievably tense at times.' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'It's absolutely bloody brilliant and I can't tell you much I wish I'd written it.' TAMMY COHEN 'It's SO GOOD!' INDIA KNIGHT 'I loved The Family Upstairs!' SARAH JESSICA PARKER Readers are obsessed with The Family Upstairs- 'I read so many books in the crime/mystery genre that it becomes harder to find a book that stands out. This one succeeded!! Hooked from page one' 'I totally adored this book. All of Lisa Jewell's books are fabulous, but something about this one is extra special.' 'Absolutely absorbing ... thoroughly enjoyed it' 'Kept me captivated from the very beginning ... Definitely worth reading - as long you like reading into the night!' 'Everything you could wish for in a book. I devoured it.' 'Wow!!' 'What a book. Clever would be an understatement. And those last pages left me with chills. The concept had me intrigued and the execution had me captivated. I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!'
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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: Hardback Collector's Edition
Taylor Jenkins Reid · 2023
The entrancing story of a reclusive Hollywood starlet as she reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine - from the bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six. Dearest, I always promised I'd tell you the full story one day. All my love, Evelyn Reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Summoned to Evelyn's luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the '80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn's story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique's own in tragic and irreversible ways. A BEAUTIFUL DELUXE HARDBACK COLLECTOR'S EDITION FEATURING AN EXCLUSIVE COVER, SPECIAL ENDPAPERS AND GILDED GOLD EDGES.
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Berserk Deluxe Volume 4
Kentaro Miura · 2020
Guts, the feared Black Swordsman, has saved the Band of the Hawk mercenaries from annihilation at the hands of the army of Midland, but he must now descend into the dungeons of Windham Castle to liberate Griffith, the Hawks' charismatic leader. Imprisoned and tortured for his tryst with the King of Midland's daughter, the flayed and starved Griffith may be in isolation, but he is far from alone. Unspeakable horrors dwell within the dank catacombs, where the living may truly envy the dead! Collects Berserk volumes 10-12. Kentaro Miura's Berserk has ruled in hell for three decades, creating an international horde of disciples and inspiring anime TV series and feature films, video and card games, and a blizzard of related products. And now, the entire Berserk series is being released in handsome oversized bookshelf editions, each collecting three volumes of the original manga. Collects Berserk Volume 10, 11, and 12.
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The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard
Natasha Lester · 2023
Three generations. One chance to prove themselves. Can the women of the Bricard fashion dynasty finally rewrite their history? French countryside, Present Day: Blythe Bricard is the daughter of famous fashion muses but that doesn't mean she wants to be one. She turned her back on that world, and her dreams, years ago. Fate, however, has a different plan, and Blythe will discover there is more to her iconic mother and grandmother than she ever knew. New York, 1970: Designer Astrid Bricard arrives in bohemian Chelsea determined to change the fashion world forever. And she does - cast as muse to her lover, Hawk Jones. When they're both invited to compete against the French in the fashion event of the century - the Battle of Versailles - Astrid sacrifices everything to showcase her talent. But then, at this turning point in her career, she mysteriously vanishes, leaving behind only a white silk dress. Paris, 1917: Parentless sixteen-year-old Mizza Bricard has made a vow: to be remembered on her own terms. Her promise drives her through decades and couture houses until, finally, her name is remembered and a legend created - one that proves impossible for Astrid and Blythe to erase themselves from. Praise for The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre by New York Times-bestselling author Natasha Lester: 'Page-turning . . . Rich with intrigue and laced with secrets' The Australian Women's Weekly 'Luxuriant and opulent, just like Dior's glorious gowns. A sweeping story of love, betrayal and one woman's struggle to find her place in the world. An engrossing and beautiful read' TANIA BLANCHARD 'Very glamorous' Weekend Australian
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The Hidden Book
Kirsty Manning · 2023
From the bestselling author of The Jade Lily comes a compelling novel based on a true story of a WWII European heirloom that brought down war criminals and travelled through history ... to be found in an Australian country shed in 2019. Europe, 1940s: Imprisoned in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, Spanish fighter and photographer Mateo Baca is ordered to process images of the camp and inmates for a handful of photo books being made for presentation to top Nazi figures. Just five books in total, or so the officials think ... Mateo manages to make a secret sixth book and, with the help of a local woman, Lena Lang, it remains hidden until the end of the war. Australia, present day: When thirteen-year-old Hannah Campbell's Yugoslavian grandfather, Nico Antonov, arrives in Australia to visit his family, one of the gifts he brings with him is an intriguing-looking parcel wrapped in calico cloth which Roza, Hannah's mother, quickly hides. Later, Hannah sneaks off in search for the mysterious package. She is horrified to find in it a photo book full of ghastly historical photographs of a terrible place full of people suffering. At first Hannah has little context for what she sees, but over the years as she experiences love, grief and trauma, she understands what these photos came to mean, for herself, her freedom and for those who risked their lives to 'bear witness' to history.? A startling story of clandestine courage and treachery in World War Two, and how we must meet and overcome our pasts to move into our futures. Praise for Kirsty Manning: 'A superb evocation of pre-war Paris ... a mystery I couldn't put down.' - Kerry Greenwood on The Paris Mystery 'A glittering party, a dead body, and a room full of alluring suspects, this book is everything you are looking for. With deft light strokes, Kirsty Manning takes the reader on an Agatha Christie-style journey in 1930s Paris, led by infallible hero, journalist Charlie James. The Paris Mystery will transport, titillate and ultimately, satisfy. Run don't walk to get your copy!' - Sally Hepworth, author of The Soulmate 'Manning doesn't put a foot wrong: The French Gift is historical fiction at its best...a glorious escape from reality, this will captivate readers from the beginning to the unforgettable, surprising end.' - Better Reading 'So divine - The French Gift is nothing short of magnificent! A superb example of a story that works to illuminate both the harshest and most spellbinding moments in our history books.' - Mrs B's Book Reviews 'Kirsty Manning handles this murder mystery, the multiple suspects, the twists and turns of the plot, and the exotic setting skilfully and well...there is plenty of glamour, lots of Belle Epoque champagne, beautiful clothes, aristocratic people, and unusual characters, but there is also a solid mystery to keep the reader guessing and, finally, an unexpected revelation that leaves questions to be pondered.' - Newtown Review of Books on The Paris Mystery
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Still Life
Sarah Winman · 2022
From the author of When God was a Rabbit and Tin Man, Still Life is a big-hearted story of the families we forge and the friendships that make us. 1944, Italy. As bombs fall around them, two strangers meet in the ruined wine cellar of a Tuscan villa and share an extraordinary evening. Ulysses Temper is a young British soldier, Evelyn Skinner a 64-year-old art historian living life on her own terms. She has come to salvage paintings from the wreckage of war and relive memories of her youth when her heart was stolen by an Italian maid in a particular room with a view. Ulysses' chance encounter with Evelyn will transform his life - and all those who love him back home in London - forever. Uplifting, sweeping and full of unforgettable characters, Still Life is a novel about beauty, love, family and friendship.
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Holly
Stephen King · 2023
Holly Gibney, one of Stephen King's most compelling and ingeniously resourceful characters, returns in this thrilling novel to solve the gruesome truth behind multiple disappearances in a Midwestern town. Stephen King's HOLLY marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly's gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr Mercedes to Bill Hodges's partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in The Outsider. In King's new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries. When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has Covid. Her (very complicated) mother has just died. And Holly is meant to be on leave. But something in Penny Dahl's desperate voice makes it impossible for Holly to turn her down. Mere blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared live Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. They are the picture of bourgeois respectability: married octogenarians, devoted to each other, and semi-retired lifelong academics. But they are harbouring an unholy secret in the basement of their well-kept, book-lined home, one that may be related to Bonnie's disappearance. And it will prove nearly impossible to discover what they are up to: they are savvy, they are patient, and they are ruthless. Holly must summon all her formidable talents to outthink and outmanoeuvre the shockingly twisted professors in this chilling new masterwork from Stephen King. 'I could never let Holly Gibney go. She was supposed to be a walk-on character in Mr Mercedes and she just kind of stole the book and stole my heart. Holly is all her.' STEPHEN KING
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A Court of Thorns and Roses Hardcover Box Set
Sarah J. Maas · 2021
Lose yourself in the seductive world of the Court of Thorns and Roses series by internationally bestselling author Sarah J. Maas with this stunning five-book box set
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Darling Girls
Sally Hepworth · 2023
It's not just secrets buried at Wild Meadows. For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. Rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother on an idyllic farming estate, they were given an elusive second chance of a happy family life. But their childhood wasn't the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. And when a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects? A thrilling page-turner by New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth of sisterhood, secrets, love and murder.
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The Moon Sister
Lucinda Riley · 2019
After the death of her father - Pa Salt, an elusive billionaire who adopted his six daughters from around the globe - Tiggy D'Aplièse , trusting her instincts, moves to the remote wilds of Scotland. There she takes a job doing what she loves; caring for animals on the vast and isolated Kinnaird estate, employed by the enigmatic and troubled Laird, Charlie Kinnaird. Her decision alters her future irrevocably when Chilly, an ancient gipsy who has lived for years on the estate, tells her that not only does she possess a sixth sense, passed down from her ancestors, but it was foretold long ago that he would be the one to send her back home to Granada in Spain ... In the shadow of the magnificent Alhambra, Tiggy discovers her connection to the fabled gypsy community of Sacromonte, who were forced to flee their homes during the civil war, and to 'La Candela' the greatest flamenco dancer of her generation. From the Scottish Highlands and Spain, to South America and New York, Tiggy follows the trail back to her own exotic but complex past. And under the watchful eye of a gifted gypsy bruja she begins to embrace her own talent for healing. But when fate takes a hand, Tiggy must decide whether to stay with her new-found family or return to Kinnaird, and Charlie...
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The Hummingbird Effect
Kate Mildenhall · 2023
From the acclaimed author of The Mother Fault, an epic, kaleidoscopic story of four women connected across time and place by an invisible thread – and their determination to shape their own stories. One of the lucky few with a job during the Depression, Peggy’s just starting out in life. She’s a bagging girl at the Angliss meatworks, a place buzzing with life as well as death, where the gun slaughterman Jack has caught her eye – and she his. How is her life connected to Hilda’s, almost a hundred years later, locked inside during a plague, or La’s, further on again, a singer working shifts in a warehouse as her eggs are frozen and her voice is used by AI bots? Let alone Maz, far removed in time, diving for remnants of a past that must be destroyed? Is it by the river that runs through their stories, eternal yet constantly changing – or by the mysterious Hummingbird Project, and the great question of whether the march of progress can ever be reversed? Propulsive, tender and engrossing, this genre-bending novel is a feast for the heart as well as the mind and senses. For fans of David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, Michelle de Kretser’s The Life to Come and Jennifer Egan’s The Candy House, it confirms Mildenhall as one of the most ambitious and dynamic writers in the country.
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Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury · 1993
The hauntingly prophetic classic novel set in a not-too-distant future where books are burned by a special task force of firemen. Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness., Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books. The classic novel of a post-literate future, Fahrenheit 451' stands alongside Orwell's1984' and Huxley's `Brave New World' as a prophetic account of Western civilization's enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity., Bradbury's powerful and poetic prose combines with uncanny insight into the potential of technology to create a novel which over fifty years from first publication, still has the power to dazzle and shock.
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Ugly Love
Colleen Hoover · 2014
#1 "New York Times" bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with a new heart-wrenching love story. When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she doesn't think it's love at first sight. They wouldn t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn t want love, she doesn t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her. Never ask about the past. Don t expect a future. They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can t handle it at all. Hearts get infiltrated. Promises get broken. Rules get shattered.Love gets ugly."
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The Year of the Locust
Terry Hayes · 2016
The hotly anticipated second novel from Terry Hayes, author of the internationally bestselling I am Pilgrim If, like Kane, you're a Denied Access Area spy for the CIA, then boundaries have no meaning. Your function is to go in, do whatever is required, and get out again - by whatever means necessary. You know when to run, when to hide - and when to shoot. But some places don't play by the rules. Some places are too dangerous, even for a man of Kane's experience. The badlands where the borders of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan meet are such a place - a place where violence is the only way to survive. Kane travels there to exfiltrate a man with vital information for the safety of the West - but instead he meets an adversary who will take the world to the brink of extinction. A frightening, clever, vicious man with blood on his hands and vengeance in his heart. The Year of the Locust is a voyage to a far-off land to see something no one has ever seen before. A mission to prevent the future happening. An encounter with true evil. And ultimately, a moment when Kane must make the decision to save his own life - or someone else's.
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Stone Yard Devotional
Charlotte Wood · 2023
A woman abandons her city life and marriage to return to the place she grew up, finding solace in a small religious community hidden away on the stark plains of the Monaro. She does not believe in God, doesn't know what prayer is, and finds herself living this strange, reclusive life almost by accident. As she gradually adjusts to the rhythms of monastic life, she ruminates on her childhood in the nearby town. She finds herself turning again and again to thoughts of her mother, whose early death she can't forget. Disquiet interrupts this secluded life with three visitations. First comes a terrible mouse plague, each day signalling a new battle against the rising infestation. Second is the return of the skeletal remains of a sister who left the community decades before to minister to deprived women in Thailand - then disappeared, presumed murdered. Finally, a troubling visitor to the monastery pulls the narrator further back into her past. With each of these disturbing arrivals, the woman faces some deep questions. Can a person be truly good? What is forgiveness? Is loss of hope a moral failure? And can the business of grief ever really be finished? A meditative and deeply moving novel from the Stella Prize-winning author of The Natural Way of Things and The Weekend.
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The Marriage Portrait
Maggie O'Farrell · 2022
'I thought I had made myself clear. I want something that conveys her majesty, her bloodline. Do you understand? She is no ordinary mortal. Treat her thus.' Florence, the 1560s. Lucrezia, third daughter of Cosimo de' Medici, is free to wander the palazzo at will, wondering at its treasures and observing its clandestine workings. But when her older sister dies on the eve of marriage to Alfonso d'Este, ruler of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio, Lucrezia is thrust unwittingly into the limelight: the duke is quick to request her hand in marriage, and her father to accept on her behalf. Having barely left girlhood, Lucrezia must now make her way in a troubled court whose customs are opaque and where her arrival is not universally welcomed. Perhaps most mystifying of all is her husband himself, Alfonso. Is he the playful sophisticate her appears before their wedding, the aesthete happiest in the company of artists and musicians, or the ruthless politician before whom even his formidable sisters seem to tremble? As Lucrezia sits in uncomfortable finery for the painting which is to preserve her image for centuries to come, one thing becomes worryingly clear. In the court's eyes, she has one duty: to provide the heir who will shore up the future of the Ferrarese dynasty. Until then, for all of her rank and nobility, her future hangs entirely in the balance.
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Before We Say Goodbye
Toshikazu Kawaguchi · 2023
The million-copy bestselling series Toshikazu Kawaguchi's poignant Before we say goodbye, translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot, explores the age-old question: what would you do if you could travel back in time? More importantly, who would you want to meet, maybe for one last time? The regulars at the magical Cafe Funiculi Funicula are well acquainted with its famous legend and extraordinary, secret menu time travel offering. Many patrons have reunited with old flames, made amends with estranged family, and visited loved ones. But the journey is not without risks and there are rules to follow. Travellers must have visited the cafe previously and most importantly, must return to the present in the time it takes for their coffee to go cold. In the tradition of Toshikazu Kawaguchi's sensational 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' series, readers will once again be introduced to a new set of visitors: The husband with something important left to say The woman who couldn't bid her dog farewell The woman who couldn't answer a proposal The daughter who drove her father away . . . In the hauntingly beautiful Before we say goodbye, Kawaguchi invites us to join his characters as they embark on a journey to revisit one crucial moment in time.
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Horse
Geraldine Brooks · 2022
'He tilted his desk lamp so that the light fell on the image. The head of a bright bay colt gazed out of the canvas, the expression in the eyes unusual and haunting.' A discarded painting in a roadside clean-up, forgotten bones in a research archive, and Lexington, the greatest racehorse in US history. From these strands of fact, Geraldine Brooks weaves a sweeping story of spirit, obsession and injustice across American history. Kentucky, 1850. An enslaved groom named Jarret and a bay foal forge a bond of understanding that will carry the horse to record-setting victories across the South, even as the nation reels towards war. An itinerant young artist who makes his name from paintings of the horse takes up arms for the Union and reconnects with the stallion and his groom on a perilous night far from the glamour of any racetrack. New York City, 1954. Martha Jackson, a gallery owner celebrated for taking risks on edgy contemporary painters, becomes obsessed with a nineteenth-century equestrian oil painting of mysterious provenance. Washington, DC, 2019. Jess, a Smithsonian scientist from Australia, and Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian, find themselves unexpectedly connected through their shared interest in the horse - one studying the stallion's bones for clues to his power and endurance, the other uncovering the lost history of the unsung Black horsemen who were critical to his racing success. With the moral complexity of March and a multi-stranded narrative reminiscent of People of the Book, this enthralling novel is a gripping reckoning with the legacy of enslavement and racism in America. Horse is the latest masterpiece from a writer with a prodigious talent for bringing the past to life. Praise for Geraldine Brooks: 'What Brooks does ... is set her reader on a great search by opening up a compelling vista of humanity and leaving you hankering after more' Australian Book Review 'Powerful storytelling, its landscape and time evoked in lyrical prose ... a compelling read, contemporary in its relevance' The Guardian Australia 'There's something bordering on the supernatural about Geraldine Brooks. She seems able to transport herself back to earlier time periods, to time travel' The Boston Globe 'A master at bringing the past alive ... in her skilful hands the issues of the past echo our own deepest concerns' The Washington Post 'Brooks is as adventurous a novelist as she was once a journalist ... her journalistic sense of story has remained vibrant' The New York Times
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The Orphans
Fiona McIntosh · 2022
The highly anticipated new historical adventure but the bestselling author of The Spy's Wife. Orphan, Fleur Appleby, is adopted by a loving undertaker and his wife and she quickly develops a special gift for helping bereaved families. Her ambition to be the first female mortician in the country is fuelled by her plan to bring more women into the male dominated funeral industry. Raised in the outback of South Australia's Flinders Ranges, Tom Catchlove is faced with a life-changing tragedy as a young boy. He works hard but dreams big, striving for a future as a wool classer. A chance encounter between the two children will change the course of their lives. By adulthood Fleur finds herself fighting for the survival of the family's business, while her widowed father drinks away generations of prosperity and a new, conniving stepmother wants Fleur gone. When Tom emerges from the isolation of the desert to find new work at the port woolstores, his path crosses with Fleur's again - only to be caught up in a murder investigation, in which they can only trust each other. At once tragic and triumphant, The Orphans is an unforgettable story about a unique bond between two children that will echo down the years, and teach them both about the real meaning of life, of loss, and of love.
