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The Commodore: Aubrey/Maturin series, book 17
The Commodore: Aubrey/Maturin series, book 17
Patrick O’Brian
¥70.44
Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin tales are widely acknowledged to be the greatest series of historical novels ever written. Now, for the first time, they are available in electronic book format, so a whole new generation of readers can be swept away on the adventure of a lifetime. This is the seventeenth book in the series. Jack Aubrey’s long service is at last rewarded: he is promoted to the rank of Commodore and given a squadron of ships to command. His mission is twofold – to make a large dent in the slave trade off the coast of Africa and, on his return, to intercept a French fleet set for Bantry Bay with a cargo of weapons for the disaffected among the Irish. Invention and surprise follow at every turn in this tale of nineteenth-century seamanship, as rich, as compelling, as masterly as any of its predecessors.
The Hundred Days: Aubrey/Maturin series, book 19
The Hundred Days: Aubrey/Maturin series, book 19
Patrick O’Brian
¥66.22
Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin tales are widely acknowledged to be the greatest series of historical novels ever written. Now, for the first time, they are available in electronic book format, so a whole new generation of readers can be swept away on the adventure of a lifetime. This is the nineteenth book in the series. Following the extraordinary success of The Yellow Admiral, this latest Aubrey-Maturin novel brings alive the sights and sounds of North Africa as well as the great naval battles in the days immediately following Napoleon’s escape from Elba. Aubrey and Maturin are in the thick of the plots and counterplots to prevent his regaining power. Coloured by conspiracies in the Adriatic, in the Berber and Arab lands of the southern shores of the Mediterranean, by night actions, fierce pursuits, slave-trading and lion hunts, The Hundred Days is a masterpiece. ’O’Brian is far and away the best of the Napoleonic storytellers and The Hundred Days is one of the best of the series: a classic naval adventure, crammed with incident, superbly plotted and utterly gripping…This is O’Brian at his brilliant, entertaining best and when he is on this form the rest of us who write of the Napoleonic conflict might as well give up and try a new career. Fans of the series will need no encouragement to buy this book, but if you are new to Aubrey and Maturin then this is as splendid an introduction as you could wish for.’ Bernard Cornwell
The Final, Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey: Aubrey/Maturin series, book 21
The Final, Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey: Aubrey/Maturin series, book 21
Patrick O’Brian,William Waldegrave
¥66.22
At the time of his death, Patrick O'Brian had begun to write a novel to follow on from Blue at the Mizzen, the twentieth book in the classic series. These are the chapters he had completed of the final voyage of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. Now they are available for the first time in electronic book format. The story picks up from the end of ‘Blue at the Mizzen’ when Jack Aubrey receives the news, in Chile, of his elevation to flag rank: Rear Admiral of the Blue Squadron, with orders to sail to the South Africa station. This novel, unfinished and untitled at the time of O’Brian’s death, would have been a chronicle of that mission, and much else besides. The chapters left on O’Brian’s death are presented here both in printed version – including his corrections to the type* – and a facsimilie of his manu*, which goes several pages beyond the end of the type* and includes marginal notes by O’Brian. And so this great ‘roman fleuve’ comes to an end with Jack, with his ‘sacred blue flag’, sailing through fair, sweet days – Stephen with his dissections and new love, Killick muttering darkly over the toasted cheese… Of course, we would rather have had the whole story; instead we have this proof that O’Brian’s powers of observation, his humour and his understanding of his characters were undiminished to the end.
The Magical Peppers and the Island of Invention
The Magical Peppers and the Island of Invention
Sian Pattenden
¥46.11
A strange old theatre at the end of the pier is the setting for the next fantastic adventure full of magic and mayhem with unbeatable double act, Esme & Monty Pepper, and their madcap Uncle Potty… The Pepper twins, Esmé and Monty and their uncle Potty have been summoned to the Sea Spray Theatre on the end of Crab Pie Pier. They’re on a mission to keep the old theatre from closing and must perform the show of a lifetime to reel in the crowds. But not everyone wants the theatre to survive and a certain someone is determined to sabotage the show, whatever the cost… Add a strange island hideaway full of zany inventions (including the Great Crab Pie flytrap and the Banana-Powered Test Your Strength machine), a hair-raising helicopter rescue-mission, some dodgy fortune-telling and the world’s biggest goldfish bowl and the Peppers are in for an unforgettable summer.
Wedding Fever
Wedding Fever
Kim Gruenenfelder
¥51.50
Finding Mr Right and saying ‘yes’ was just the beginning. A delightfully romantic read for fans of Trisha Ashley and Chris Manby. After listening to her friends’ latest travails in love, parenting, and careers, superstitious bride-to-be Nicole sets to work planting silver charms into her wedding cake, each of which will bring its recipient the magical assistance needed to change her destiny. There is one for Melissa, still ringless after dating the same man for six years. Another for Seema, who is in love with her best male friend Scott. And recently laid off journalist Nic should get one too, to help her get her career back on track. Nicole does everything she can to control who gets which silver keepsake, but when the place settings are mysteriously shifted around, mayhem ensues! *Please note that this is the UK edition - in the US, the title of this book is ‘There’s Cake in My Future’*
Mother’s Ruin
Mother’s Ruin
Kitty Neale
¥34.14
You can’t choose your family… When Sally and her family have to move back to Candle Lane to look after her grandmother, the cracks in their family soon begin to show. Another compelling family drama from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lost Angel and Nobody's Girl. CRUEL When her beloved Gran has a stroke, Sally and her family move back home in order to look after her. But Sadie's illness has made the wise woman they once knew bigoted and bad-tempered. Sadie is testing everyone's patience, including Sally's mum Ruth, and her husband Arthur. CALLOUS Their problems are nothing compared with Tommy, the little ruffian next door. With an absentee father and an alcoholic mother, Tommy has a hard life. However, Ruth sees the good in him and takes him under her wing, but his unpredictable and violent mother has other ideas. CRISIS Meanwhile, the stress of living cheek-by-jowl with Sally's family is starting to push Arthur away. As cracks in their marriage begin to appear, both Sally and Arthur must work out where their priorities lie before it's too late… Another compelling family drama from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lost Angel and Nobody's Girl.
Riding Star (Pony Club Rivals, Book 3)
Riding Star (Pony Club Rivals, Book 3)
Stacy Gregg
¥51.50
There’s more backstabbing and drama as loyalties are tested to the limit in the third episode of the high life at elite riding school, Blainford Academy. Georgie tests her skills on the polo field in the latest from the author of the Uk’s bestselling pony series ‘Pony Club Secrets’. Georgie Parker has come out on top after her first term at Blainford ‘All-Stars’ Academy. But after excelling in the showjumping ring can Georgie outclass her rivals on the polo pitch too? And is Kennedy Kirkwood out to cause trouble again? Find out in the latest instalment of Blainford gossip, drama and horse-riding hijinks!
Wild
Wild
Aprilynne Pike
¥58.86
The third part of Aprilynne Pike’s extraordinary faerie tale of magic and mystery, romance and danger, described by Stephenie Meyer as ‘a remarkable debut’. On the first day of Laurel’s senior year there are two new arrivals. Tamani — the electrifying faerie with whom she shares an undeniable connection — appears, posing as a foreign exchange student. And even more disturbing is another foreign exchange student named Yuki whom Laurel quickly realises is a faerie, though the new girl doesn’t seem to have any idea who or what she really is. Laurel is determined to figure out how Yuki fits into the picture, and what connection she may have to the ever-increasing threats to her family and Avalon. Meanwhile, Laurel struggles to maintain a balance between her human boyfriend David and Tamani, with whom she shares a passionate past. But balancing two worlds is becoming more and more complicated. When the threat to Avalon grows ever stronger, Laurel’s illusion of control of the situation shatters and she must confront a danger even greater than the trolls.
Don’t Look Back
Don’t Look Back
Laura Lippman
¥51.50
Eliza Benedict’s past returns to haunt her when the serial killer she escaped from as a young girl walks back into her life. The nail-shredding novel from New York Times bestseller, Laura Lippman. 25 years ago, he stole her innocence. Now he wants to get in touch. Eliza Benedict cherishes her quiet existence with her successful husband and children in the leafy suburbs of suburban Washington. But her tranquillity is shattered when she receives a letter from the last person she ever expects – or wants – to hear from: Walter Bowman. In the summer of 1985 when she was fifteen-years-old, Eliza was kidnapped by serial killer Walter Bowman, who targeted young girls like Eliza in a sexually motivated killing spree. Now facing lethal injection on death row, Walter is keen to make contact with Eliza, seemingly motivated by a desire to atone for his sins before he finally meets his maker. Carefully, with some reluctance, she lets Walter enter her life, first by letter, then in person. Walter is keen to convince Eliza that he has changed but it becomes clear that Walter has more of an agenda than he first revealed. Cunning and manipulative, Walter is never more dangerous than when he can't get what he wants, and he wants something very badly. Disturbingly, he seems to have an ally working in the outside, one who seems to know everything about Eliza's life – including where she lives. As Walter once again manages to exert his malign influence, Eliza must draw on all of her reserves of wisdom and strength as the battle of predator and prey once more plays out and she must face the past head on if she is to survive. A taut and mesmerizing novel by the highly-acclaimed author of Life Sentences and Every Secret Thing.
Angel Rock
Angel Rock
Darren Williams
¥72.99
A beautiful, haunting, engrossing, terrifying, enchanting novel destined to win prizes and storm the bestseller lists. To read this book is a total immersion experience. Since it was first acquired in a hot auction, Darren Williams’ novel has attracted comparisons – Picnic at Hanging Rock, To Kill a Mockingbird, Stand By Me, to name but a few (and no coincidence that all three have been made into major movies, because Angel Rock is a feast for all the senses) – but it is also a completely unique and original novel. The setting is Australia, 1969. Two half-brothers get lost in the wild wooded countryside around the small town of Angel Rock. Only the eldest, 13-year-old Tom, finds his way home. At about the same time, a 16-year-old girl goes missing from the town and is found in Sydney. She has killed herself. The policeman who gets the case in the city follows the trail back to Angel Rock. In searching for a meaning in this tragic death, he is searching for nothing less than a meaning in his own troubled life. The tales of the policeman, Gibson, and the boy, Tom, converge in the mystical back-country of Angel Rock, in a story that is part coming-of-age, part detective thriller, of redemption both individual and communal, and altogether one story that you will never forget.
The Yips
The Yips
Nicola Barker
¥66.22
The hilarious Man Booker-longlisted novel from the author of ‘Darkmans’ and ‘The Burley Cross Postbox Theft’. 2006 is a foreign country; they do things differently there. Tiger Woods' reputation is entirely untarnished and the English Defence League does not exist. But storm-clouds are gathering above the bar of Luton's less-than-exclusive Thistle Hotel. Among those caught up in the unfolding drama are a man who's survived cancer seven times, a woman priest with an unruly fringe, the troubled family of a notorious local fascist, an interfering barmaid with three E's at A-level but a PhD in bullshit, a free-thinking Muslim sex therapist and his considerably more pious wife. But at the heart of every intrigue and the bottom of every mystery is the repugnantly charismatic Stuart Ransom – a golfer in free-fall.
Lonely Girl
Lonely Girl
Josephine Cox
¥58.86
The new novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Josephine Cox gets straight to the hope and heartbreak of family drama. One fateful night changes the course of a child’s life forever… Rosie’s mother is a cruel woman and has Rosie’s kind and loving father wrapped around her finger. Though John Tanner does his best to protect her, Rosie often bears the brunt of her mother’s rage. And his protection can’t last forever. In one tragic moment Rosie’s fragile world is shattered. Grieving and alone, Rosie is thrust into a harsh reality, and she must face the obstacles that fate has set in her path. But secrets will out, and Rosie must uncover the shocking truth behind her mother’s cruelty before she can hope for the love and happiness she deserves.
The Dearly Departed
The Dearly Departed
Elinor Lipman
¥77.99
An unexpectedly joyful comedy of manners that encompasses amateur dramatics, drive-by shootings, political campaigns and golf. When Sunny Batten hears from a brusque, ill-mannered stranger that her beloved mother Margaret has just died in a freak household accident, understandably she thinks that things can't get any worse. But when she discovers that her cranky informant is the son of the man who died alongside Margaret, and that the pair, unbeknownst to their offspring, were engaged to be married, matters take a distinct downward turn. As even-tempered, reasonable Sunny and arrogant, wise-cracking Fletcher take their positions at the funeral, the eyes and ears of the sleepy New Hampshire town of King George are fixed upon them. What excites the graveside gossips more than anything is the mourners' identical, prematurely grey hair. Mere coincidence, or the inescapable workings of shared DNA? With its vivid evocation of small-town life and a cast of unwittingly hilarious characters, ‘The Dearly Departed’ will prompt as many belly laughs as it will tears – and leave you hoping for more despatches from King George long after you’ve turned its final page.
The General Danced at Dawn
The General Danced at Dawn
George MacDonald Fraser
¥46.11
From the author of the Flashman series. For the first time in ebook format, a collection of short stories by the bestselling author George MacDonald Fraser.
Sunshine on a Rainy Day:A funny, feel-good romantic comedy
Sunshine on a Rainy Day:A funny, feel-good romantic comedy
Bryony Fraser
¥44.44
A hilarious and heartbreaking read, for anyone whose life hasn’t quite gone to plan… The only book that fans of BRIDGET JONES and MARIAN KEYES need. ‘If you enjoyed One Day, you’ll love this.’ Reader review It’s Zoe and Jack’s first wedding anniversary party. They’ve got an announcement! They’re getting divorced… Marriage isn’t for everyone – something that Zoe and Jack discovered only after they’d walked down the aisle. Bad timing, huh? So now they’re stuck together in their once harmonious marital home, neither one of them willing to move out of their lovely house. With Zoe’s three sisters always wanting a say, and Jack’s best friend trying his best to fix things between them, misunderstandings arise. Tempers flare. ‘Accidents’ happen… Zoe and Jack are going to be lucky if they’re still alive when the twelve months are up. But maybe things aren’t quite as final as they seem? What readers are saying about Sunshine on a Rainy Day: ‘A refreshingly hilarious read that has the power to pull at your heartstrings…it brought sunshine to my soul.’ The Writing Garnet ‘If you enjoyed One Day, you’ll love this.’ Reader review ‘I laughed and cried all the way through…a fantastic, laugh-out-loud feel-good book.’ Reader review ‘An engaging and entertaining story!’ Rae Reads ‘Funny and moving…it will make you laugh and cry, and wish you knew some of the characters in real life.’ Reader review ‘Funny story…highly entertaining.’ Reader review
The Wedding Diaries
The Wedding Diaries
Sam Binnie
¥34.14
The first novel in an entertaining and hilarious new series introduces Kiki Carlow, a woman on a mission to create her perfect wedding. Kiki Carlow is shocked but delighted when boyfriend Thom proposes. Planning a wedding is easy, right? That’s as long as you ignore: 1. The utterly bankrupting price of the only dress you’ll ever truly love. 2. Your suddenly pregnant sister – surprise! 3. The celebrity wedding you’re covering for work which is devouring your every waking thought. 4. The Mother of the Bride. Entirely. Kiki soon discovers that planning the perfect wedding might just bring total chaos to the rest of her life. Can she stop being a Bridezilla in time to marry the man she loves? Heart-warming and hilarious, The Wedding Diaries will make you laugh, cry, and want to watch Bridesmaids all over again…
The Golem and the Djinni
The Golem and the Djinni
Helene Wecker
¥57.09
New York, 1899. Two strangers, one destiny. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. When her master, the husband who commissioned her, dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York in 1899. Ahmad is a djinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian desert. Trapped in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard centuries ago, he is released accidentally by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop. Though he is no longer imprisoned, Ahmad is not entirely free – an unbreakable band of iron binds him to the physical world. The Golem & The Djinni is their magical, unforgettable story; unlikely friends whose tenuous attachment challenges their opposing natures – until the night a terrifying incident drives them back into their separate worlds. But a powerful threat will soon bring Chava and Ahmad together again, challenging their existence and forcing them to make a fateful choice.
Little Exiles
Little Exiles
Robert Dinsdale
¥62.59
A stunning novel set in the wake of the Second World War, Little Exiles tells the extraordinary story of the forced child migration between Britain and Australia that took place after World War II and how this flight from home shaped the identity of a generation of children. What if someone you loved asked you to pack a bag and said that they would see you again soon? When Jon Heather’s mother leaves him by the door of the Chapeltown Boys’ Home of the Children’s Crusade, one cold night in post-war Leeds, he is convinced there has been a dreadful mistake. But several weeks later, nine-year-old Jon finds himself on a boat bound for Australia. Promised paradise, he soon realizes the reality of the Australian outback is very different: a life of hard labour on unforgiving terrain, under an alien sun. So begins a journey that will last a lifetime, as Jon Heather and his group of unlikely friends battle to make their way back home.
Mega Sleepover 5 (The Sleepover Club)
Mega Sleepover 5 (The Sleepover Club)
Louis Catt,Fiona Cummings
¥88.39
Join the Sleepover Club: Frankie, Kenny, Felicity, Rosie and Lyndsey, five girls who want to have fun – but who always end up in mischief! In Sleepover on Friday 13th, Kenny plans some spooky surprises – but suddenly, everything starts getting out of control… In Sleepover Girls Go Camping, it’s the Sleepover Club versus the M&Ms on a massive assault course at summer camp. And in Sleepover Girls Go Detective, Lyndz’s cat disappears. Could it be anything to do with a very suspicious-looking neighbour? Three fantastic Sleepover Club stories in one!
The Brightfount Diaries
The Brightfount Diaries
Brian Aldiss
¥34.14
Aldiss’ first novel republished after many years out of print. In a small provincial city, Peter lives with his long-suffering Aunt Anne and his eccentric Uncle Leo, and works in a bookshop called Brightfount’s, which he describes as a ‘shabby outpost of literacy’. Cutting the apron strings, he moves into a bed-sit and composes these witty diaries, in which he includes amusing remarks about publishers, authors, booksellers and customers, a revelation about his dotty uncle, and his efforts to find a suitable girl. First published as a weekly serial in The Bookseller, these fictional diaries became a sensation, prompting fanmail from across the globe and resulting in the author’s first book deal.
The Complete Short Stories:The 1960s (Part 1)
The Complete Short Stories:The 1960s (Part 1)
Brian Aldiss
¥81.03
Following on from the 1950s collection, this is the second collection of Brian Aldiss’ short stories, taken from the 1960s. A must-have for collectors. Part one of four. This collection gathers together, for the very first time, Brian Aldiss’ complete catalogue of short stories from the 1960s, in four parts.