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万本电子书0元读

Anita and Me
Anita and Me
Meera Syal
¥66.22
Nine-year-old Meena can’t wait to grow up and break free from her parents. But, as the daughter of the only Punjabi family in the mining village of Tollington, her struggle for independence is different from most. Meena wants fishfingers and chips, not chapati and dhal; she wants an English Christmas, not the usual interminable Punjabi festivities – but more than anything, she wants to roam the backyards of working-class Tollington with feisty Anita Rutter and her gang. Blonde, cool, aloof, outrageous and sassy, Anita is everything Meena thinks she wants to be. Meena wheedles her way into Anita’s life, but the arrival of a baby brother, teenage hormones, impending entrance exams for the posh grammar school and a motorcycling rebel without a future threaten to turn Anita’s salad days sour. Anita and Me paints a comic, poignant, compassionate and colourful portrait of village life in the era of flares, power cuts, glam rock, decimalisation and Ted Heath. It is a unique vision of a British childhood in the Seventies, a childhood caught between two cultures, each on the brink of change.
Ben, in the World
Ben, in the World
Doris Lessing
¥68.67
From Doris Lessing, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, the sequel to one of her most celebrated novels, ‘The Fifth Child’. ‘The Fifth Child’, Doris Lessing’s 1988 novel, made a powerful impact on publication. Its account of idyllic marital and parental bliss shattered by the arrival of the feral fifth child of the Lovatts made for unnerving and compulsive reading. That child, Ben, is the central character of this sequel, which picks up the fable at the end of his childhood and takes our primal, misunderstood, maladjusted teenager out into the world. He meets mostly with mockery, fear and incomprehension, but with just enough kindness and openness to keep him afloat as his adventures take him from London to the south of France and on to South America in his restless quest for community, companionship and peace. Lessing employs a plain, unadorned prose fit for fables; again, we have a childlike perspective at the heart of the book; again, the world in all its malevolence and misapprehension swirls around at the edge, while, occasionally, a strong character steps forward to try to set a good example.
Cocaine Nights
Cocaine Nights
J. G. Ballard,James Lever
¥57.09
‘Snort up “Cocaine Nights”. It’s disorientating, deranging and knocks the work of other avant-garde writers into a hatted cock’ Will Self Five people die in an unexplained house fire in the Spanish resort of Estrella de Mar, an exclusive enclave for the rich, retired British, centred on the thriving Club Nautico. The club manager, Frank Prentice, pleads guilty to charges of murder – yet not even the police believe him. When his Charles arrives to unravel the truth, he gradually discovers that behind the resort’s civilized fa?ade flourishes a secret world of crime, drugs and illicit sex. At once an engrossing mystery and a novel of ideas, ‘Cocaine Nights’ is a stunningly original work, a vision of a society coming to terms with a life of almost unlimited leisure. This edition is part of a new commemorative series of Ballard’s works, featuring introductions from a number of his admirers (including Neil Gaiman, Zadie Smith, John Lanchester and Martin Amis) and brand-new cover designs.
The Verruca Bazooka (GUNK Aliens, Book 1)
The Verruca Bazooka (GUNK Aliens, Book 1)
Jonny Moon
¥27.27
Aliens are coming… to get up your nose! A long time ago, on a planet really, really far away, a bunch of slimy aliens discovered the secret to clean, renewable energy – snot! That was when the Galactic Union of Nasty Killer Aliens (G.U.N.K.) was born. Its mission: to find human life and drain its snot. Rockets were sent to the four corners of the known universe, each carrying representatives from the major alien races. Three of them were never heard from again. But one of them landed on a planet quite simply full of humans. This one. Now all that stands between earth and alien invasion is a hero named Jack. Problem is, he’s not even out of primary school yet…
Gentleman’s Relish
Gentleman’s Relish
Patrick Gale
¥46.99
An exhilarating new collection of stories by the author of Richard & Judy-bestseller ‘Notes from an Exhibition’, combining wit and poignancy to illuminate experiences both common and uncommon. Love (and loathing) within families is dissected – a father makes an unexpected discovery about his son which is too hard for him to cope with. A son wreaks revenge through the power of cookery. Three generations of the same family gain freedom through the years in a once-despised caravan. A bored wife finds happiness when an old lag teaches her the art of angling. A dog-training lesson with a puppy who hasn’t grasped the meaning of ‘obedience’ leads to the discovery of a murder. Here too are music and silence – the sweetness and sadness of festivals, of the Church and of the control exercised by those in charge in small communities. This tremendously enjoyable collection of stories has the same wit, tenderness and acute psychological observation as Gale’s bestselling novels, including NOTES FROM AN EXHIBITION and the recent THE WHOLE DAY THROUGH. For Gale's many fans, GENTLEMAN’S RELISH is certain to be a real treat.
The Other Queen
The Other Queen
Philippa Gregory
¥66.22
A dramatic novel of passion, politics and betrayal from the author of The Other Boleyn Girl. They can fear me, and they can hate me. They can even deny me. But they cannot kill me. 1568. The Virgin Queen Elizabeth I has ruled England for ten years, but refuses to name a successor, despite the rival claims that threaten her kingdom. Bess of Hardwick, the new Countess of Shrewsbury, has secured her future with her fourth marriage to George Talbot. Ambitious and shrewd, Bess anticipates royal favour when she and the Earl are asked to give sanctuary to the fugitive Mary Queen of Scots. But the Scottish queen rails against house arrest in a desolate castle and plots to regain her throne. The castle becomes the epicentre of intrigue against Elizabeth, the Earl blinded by admiration for the other queen. Even Bess’s own loyalty is thrown into question. If Elizabeth's spymaster William Cecil links the Talbots to the growing conspiracy to free Mary, they will all face the Tower…
Hit the Beach! (The Sleepover Club)
Hit the Beach! (The Sleepover Club)
Harriet Castor
¥27.27
Also published as Sleepover Girls Go Surfing. The hugely popular Sleepover Club series is back with a gorgeous new look. Meet Frankie, Kenny, Fliss, Rosie and Lyndz – five best friends who just want to have fun! The surf’s up, the tide is high and it’s time for the Sleepover Club to hit the beach during their school activity week in Devon. A whole week of secret midnight feasts! The girls have surfing lessons from cool instructor Bethany, but will they spend more time in the water than on the board? One thing’s for sure, there’s always trouble ahead when the Sleepover girls are involved… As well as a great story this book has tips for fun things to do at your own sleepover party for you and your friends. Pack up your sleepover kit and join in the fun!
The Sunflower Forest
The Sunflower Forest
Torey Hayden
¥45.62
Bestselling author Torey Hayden’s novel poignantly tells of a daughter’s attempt to grow up in the shadow of her mother’s haunted past. Warm, melancholy and evocatively rendered this book captures the essence of a family touched by sadness. A haunting tale of a family who can't escape the consequences of their mother's tormented childhood. Hayden, a master storyteller, again turns her talent to fiction in this novel that combines a psychological thriller with a nuanced family drama. Lesley’s Hungarian mother Mara – charming, childlike, lovable – is traumatized by her adolescent Holocaust experiences. Though her American husband and daughters try to live a normal life, Mara holds them thrall to her moods and quirks. Lesley struggles to understand, but dealing with Mara is a severe strain which sets her apart from her peers. But when Mara’s psychosis results in tragedy, Lesley goes to Wales in search of her mother’s remembered joy.
Disguise
Disguise
Hugo Hamilton
¥66.22
Hugo Hamilton, the internationally acclaimed author of ‘The Speckled People’ and ‘Sailor in the Wardrobe’, turns his hand back to fiction with a compelling drama tracing Berlin's central historical importance throughout the twentieth century. 1945. At the end of the second world war in Berlin, a young mother loses her two-year-old boy in the bombings. She flees to the south, where her father finds a young foundling of the same age among the refugee trains to replace the boy. He makes her promise never to tell anyone, including her husband – still fighting on the Russian front – that the boy is not her own. Nobody will know the difference. 2008. Gregor Liedmann is a Jewish man now in his sixties. He's an old rocker who ran away from home, a trumpet player, a revolutionary stone-thrower left over from the 1968 generation. On a single day spent gathering fruit in an orchard outside Berlin with family and friends, Gregor looks back over his life, sifting through fact and memory in order to establish the truth. What happened on that journey south in the final days of the war? Why did his grandfather Emil disappear, and why did the Gestapo torture uncle Max? Here, in the calmness of the orchard, along with his ex-wife Mara and son Daniel, Gregor tries to unlock the secret of his past. In his first novel since the best-selling memoir ‘The Speckled People’, Hugo Hamilton has created a truly compelling story of lost identity, and a remarkable reflection on the ambiguity of belonging.
TV Stars! (The Sleepover Club)
TV Stars! (The Sleepover Club)
Fiona Cummings
¥27.27
The hugely popular Sleepover Club series is back with a gorgeous new look. Meet Frankie, Kenny, Fliss, Rosie and Lyndz – five best friends who just want to have fun! Fliss persuades the rest of her pals to come along for moral support when she goes to audition for a TV commercial, and the girls are really excited to go along. Maybe Fliss could become a TV star! But when all five girls decide to try out for the same commercial, Fliss is not happy at all, and rivalry threatens to ruin their friendship. Could this be the end for the Sleepover Club? As well as a great story this book has tips for fun things to do at your own sleepover party for you and your friends. Pack up your sleepover kit and join in the fun!
The Mentor
The Mentor
Steve Jackson
¥51.50
Spying, lying and dying. Fans of ‘Spooks’ will be swept away by Steve Jackson’s explosive debut novel. They say lightning never strikes twice. They are wrong. London has been bombed for the second time in 2 years, but this time the enemy is a lot closer to home. Paul Aston, a young MI6 Agent, is sent to investigate. But nothing could have prepared him for the scenes of horror and devastation that he sees. Images that will stay with him for the rest of his life. The government blames MI6, MI6 blames the government, but the truth behind what the media are calling 18/8 is more chilling than anyone could have imagined. Slowly, Aston tears away the layers of corruption, betrayal and murder to reveal the real culprit. Someone who knows every trick in the book, because he’s played every trick in the book. Someone who has a deep seething hatred of MI6 and will stop at nothing until his vengeance is satisfied. He is The Mentor.
Trick or Treat (The Sleepover Club)
Trick or Treat (The Sleepover Club)
Jana Hunter
¥27.27
The hugely popular Sleepover Club series is back with a gorgeous new look. Meet Frankie, Kenny, Fliss, Rosie and Lyndz - five best friends who just want to have fun! It's Halloween and the Sleepover Club girls have organised a special spooky sleepover at Kenny's house. Then her horrible big sister Molly goes and ruins everything. But Molly had better watch out as the girls are determined to get their own back. And their plan involves a geeky boy and a witchy little love potion... As well as a great story this book has tips for fun things to do at your own sleepover party for you and your friends. Pack up your sleepover kit and join in the fun!
The Inside Ring
The Inside Ring
Mike Lawson
¥38.16
THE WEST WING MEETS 24 IN A PACE-RIDDEN TALE OF CONSPIRACY, CORRUPTION AND COLD-BLOODED MURDER Joe De Marco is running out of time. Someone has made an attempt on the president’s life, but the wrong man is dead. How could this happen when the president and those nearest to him are protected by a group of men known as THE INSIDE RING? Is there a chink in the armour? A break in the circle, is someone not quite what they seem? Joe's search for the answers takes him from the corridors of power to the swamps of the southern states, where one lie will lead to another until finally the shocking truth will emerge in an orgy of violence. THE INSIDE RING where greed and corruption walk hand in hand with murder.
Harpy’s Flight (The Ki and Vandien Quartet, Book 1)
Harpy’s Flight (The Ki and Vandien Quartet, Book 1)
Megan Lindholm
¥51.50
A reissue of classic backlist titles from the author of the best selling Farseer Trilogy and The Liveship Traders books. HARPY'S FLIGHT was Lindholm's first novel, and the first in the WINDSINGERS series, which introduced her popular gypsy characters, Ki and Vandien. Harpies don't give up of blood debts. Neither do the men who serve them. A life must be given in return. Devastated by the slaughter of her family and haunted by memories of her own violent revenge, Ki rejects the comfort of her husband's gypsy people and wants only to wander in solitude as an outcast. Across mountains sheathed with ice, through the treacherous shadow of the impassable Sisters, Ki finds herself running for her life, pursued by frenzied Harpies sworn to vengeance; and by one stubborn, dark-haired man who seems intent on being part of her future.
The Vagrant and the City
The Vagrant and the City
Peter Newman
¥49.34
The second short story set in Peter Newman’s incredible world of THE VAGRANT. 'It's a story that grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and refused to let go…' Fantasy Faction
The Sister Swap: the laugh-out-loud romantic comedy of the year!
The Sister Swap: the laugh-out-loud romantic comedy of the year!
Fiona Collins
¥49.65
‘A funny, feel-good read just perfect for the summer!’ Sarah Bennett, author of Sunrise at Butterfly Cove Two sisters. Two very different lives… Meg simply doesn’t have time for men in her life. Instead, she has a strictly one-date rule, survives on caffeine and runs one of the biggest model agencies from her smart office in London. That is, until she collapses one day at work and the doctor orders her to take some R&R in the country… Sarah is used to being stuck behind tractors and the slow pace of her cosy village life. But now her children are all grown-up (and her ex-husband long forgotten) she’s ready to change things up a bit – starting with taking back her old job in the city! After a devastating falling out, the sisters haven’t spoken in years. Swapping houses, cars, everything is the only option – surely they’ll be able to avoid bumping into each other? Perfect for fans of Fiona Gibson, Zara Stonely and Christie Barlow. Praise for The Sister Swap: A funny, feel-good read just perfect for the summer! The Sister Swap left me with a warm glow in my heart and a broad smile upon my face. Sarah Bennett, author of Sunrise at Butterfly Cove ‘Perfect for you summer beach bag!’ Pretty Little Book Reviews ‘Funny, uplifting, feel-good and absolutely wonderful. I loved it!’ Karen Whittard (NetGalley reviewer) ‘Such a feel-good book!’ Mary Torjussen (NetGalley reviewer) ‘Excellent!’ Nicola Clough (NetGalley reviewer) ‘I love Fiona Collins books and this one is no exception!’ Claire Ross (NetGalley reviewer) ‘A light-hearted read…this book will make you chuckle.’ Sara Oxton (NetGalley reviewer)
The Bookshop of New Beginnings: Heart-warming, uplifting – a perfect feel good r
The Bookshop of New Beginnings: Heart-warming, uplifting – a perfect feel good r
Jen Mouat
¥49.65
‘This book had me captivated from the start…a really great read.’ The Reading Shed It’s never too late to rewrite your story… It’s always been Emily Cotton’s dream to own her own bookshop. But sitting among shelves of haphazardly stacked books in a damp old barn, the reality feels a little different. Kate Vincent hasn’t been back home in six years. But when she receives a desperate email from her childhood best friend begging for her help she doesn’t stop to think. Scenes of idyllic holidays with the Cotton family dance in her mind and she books a one-way ticket home to Wigtown. But life for the Cottons isn’t all as she remembers and the secrets which once drove Kate and Emily apart are finally threatening to come to the surface. Now as the pair work together to save Emily’s failing bookshop – can they too begin a new chapter of their friendship? Previously published as Summer at Bluebell Bank
The Artist’s Muse
The Artist’s Muse
Kerry Postle
¥49.65
‘The author tells an evocative story that is both illuminating and engrossing at the same time.’ Allie Burns, author of The Lido Girls ‘Lush and evocative.’ Rosemary Smith ‘The writing elevates this beyond many historical novels.’ Joseph Morgan Vienna 1907 Wally Neuzil must find a way to feed her family. Having failed in many vocations, Wally has one last shot: esteemed artist Gustav Klimt needs a muse, and Wally could be the girl he’s been waiting for. But Wally soon discovers that there is much more to her role than just sitting looking pretty. And while she had hoped to establish herself as an emerging lady, the upper classes see her as no more than a prostitute. With her society dreams dashed Wally finds herself at rock bottom. So when young artist, Egon Schiele, shows her how different life can be Wally grabs hold of the new start she’s been desperately seeking. As a passionate love affair ensues will he be the making of her or her undoing? Praise for The Artist’s Muse ‘Richly entertaining, wry and funny, and at the same time dark, thoughtful and allusive, I shall look forward to reading this one again, and any more that come from this writer.’ Kate Jackson ‘A richly layered read, that delivers on many levels.’ Joseph Morgan ‘Postle has taken me into a world full of characters that jump off the page with life, who inhabit a Vienna oozing with culture and modernity yet bursting at the seams at the height of empire and all the inequalities that go with it.’ Rebecca Barton ‘This novel evokes a time and a place with such power. Wally Neuzil , so brave, yet so tragic, speaks with a voice to break your heart.’ Pam Dennis
Den of Stars (Gambler’s Den series, Book 2)
Den of Stars (Gambler’s Den series, Book 2)
Christopher Byford
¥49.65
Are you willing to gamble with your life? Some debts can’t be repaid. The Gambler’s Den lies in ruins, its staff scattered across the Sand Sea, all but a memory of the minds of its past patrons. But when the Morning Star appears, ruled by a mysterious figure known only as the Hare, the comparisons can’t be helped. Who is this larger-than-life character? Why do the showgirls wear masks? What are they hiding? The answer…they should be dead. Franco and Misu were safe only in their anonymity, but with Franco gone Misu must find him – jeopardising all they have built. In order to save the man she trusts Misu must put her faith in the villain. Wilheim does not forget disobedience lightly, and Misu’s was a great betrayal, so now he will call in his debt, and his revenge on the staff of the Morning Star. Who will win? Who will survive? Who will the odds favour?
Fatal Masquerade (A Lady Alkmene Cosy Mystery, Book 4)
Fatal Masquerade (A Lady Alkmene Cosy Mystery, Book 4)
Vivian Conroy
¥49.65
Lady Alkmene and Jake Dubois are back in a gripping new adventure facing dangerous opponents at a masked ball in the countryside. Masked danger… Lady Alkmene Callender has always loved grand parties, but when she receives an invitation to a masked ball thrown by Franklin Hargrove – oil magnate, aviation enthusiast and father of her best friend, Denise – she’s never seen such luxury. The estate is lit up with Chinese lanterns in the gardens, boats operated by footmen float across the pond and the guest list features the distinguished, rich and powerful! But below the glamour, evil is lurking. When a dead body is discovered, it forces Lady Alkmene to throw off her mask and attempt to find the true killer before Denise’s family are accused. If only her partner, Jake Dubois, weren’t hiding something from her… This case might just be more dangerous than either of them could have imagined. 1. A Proposal to Die For 2. Diamonds of Death 3. Deadly Treasures 4. A Fatal Masquerade
Escape to the Cotswolds
Escape to the Cotswolds
Natalie Kleinman
¥49.65
‘What a wonderful romance…I simply loved it!’ Lori Belcher (NetGalley Reviewer) Can love blossom in the countryside? Artist Holly Hunter is turning her life upside-down! She’s leaving the bright lights of London (and a cheating husband) behind her and hoping for a fresh start as she escapes to the peaceful Cotswolds countryside. Men are off the cards for Holly. Instead, she’s focusing on her little gallery and adopting an adorable Border Collie puppy named Tubs. Or so she thought… Because no matter how hard she tries to resist him, local vet Adam Whitney is utterly gorgeous. And in a village as small as this one, Holly can only avoid Adam for so long! Fans of Milly Johnson, Caroline Roberts and Jill Mansell will love this heart-warming read!