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The 13th Gift: Part One (HarperTrue Life – A Short Read)
The 13th Gift: Part One (HarperTrue Life – A Short Read)
Joanne Huist Smith
¥9.71
A true Christmas story of a family suffering their darkest moments finding strength and love from a surprise Christmas miracle. December 1999: It was the Christmas season, but Joanne Smith was numb. She wished she could just go to sleep and wake up on December 26. No singing. No laughter. No shopping. She typically enjoyed the holidays, but this year she couldn’t celebrate. Her beloved husband of almost twenty years had died two months previously. What had once been a happy home was now devastated, leaving her and her three children drowning in grief. Until they were thrown a lifeline. Twelve days before Christmas, Jo was in the midst of rushing her kids to school, when she discovered a poinsettia sitting on her doorstep with a card, signed cryptically by her “true friends.” That seemingly small gift was the turning point for the Smith family, as over the course of the twelve days of Christmas, a new gift arrived daily. The mystery of the Christmas presents – specifically, the generosity and kindness behind them – worked its magic on the Smiths as the family knitted back together. They rose out of their grief and latched onto the hope they suddenly felt again: that with love, with community, and with family, even the most broken hearts can be mended.
Constance Street: Part 1 of 3
Constance Street: Part 1 of 3
Charlie Connelly
¥36.50
One forgotten street, 12 unforgettable women. ‘’Ang on boy, Joan’s got sumfink to show yer.’ She rummaged in a drawer for a moment, pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me. ‘Constance Street,’ she said. ‘As I remember it.’ Through the story of one street – Constance Street – we hear the true life tales of a tight knit group of working class women in the East End of London set against a backdrop of war, hardship and struggle. It’s a story of matriarchy and deep family ties, of a generation that was scattered away from the street during the blitz bombings, but which maintained the ties of that street for decades afterwards. Set in an area of East London called Silvertown, a once thriving docking community that at the turn of the 20th century was the industrial heartland of the south of England; the story focuses on the lives of 12 incredible women and their struggle to survive amidst the chaos of the war years. We have Nellie Greenwood, the author’s great grandmother who runs a laundry in Silvertown which becomes the focal point of the community. In 1917 a munitions factory in Silvertown explodes flattening much of the surrounding area and causing extensive damage to Constance Street – Nellie’s daughter is blown from her crib but miraculously survives. Deciding to open the laundry as a field hospital for the injured, Nellie and the women on the street come together to tend the wounded, the sick and the emotionally shattered as they cope with the aftermath of not just one but two world wars. Through the Great War, the roaring Twenties, the Depression and then the unimaginable – the outbreak of a second world war – Nellie and the street survive with love, laughter and friendships that bind the community together. But just as this incredible group of women live through the worst, the unthinkable happens. On 7 September 1940, Constance Street is no more. Following in the footsteps of Farewell to the East End by Jennifer Worth and The Sugar Girls, Constance Street is a life-affirming, heart-warming read that reminds us of a time when people pulled together.
Constance Street: Part 2 of 3
Constance Street: Part 2 of 3
Charlie Connelly
¥36.50
Constance Street can either be read as a full-length eBook or in 3 serialised eBook-only parts. This is PART 2 of 3. You can read Part 2 one week ahead of release of the full-length eBook and paperback. One forgotten street, 12 unforgettable women. Through the story of one street – Constance Street – we hear the true life tales of a tight knit group of working class women in the East End of London set against a backdrop of war, hardship and struggle. It’s a story of matriarchy and deep family ties, of a generation that was scattered away from the street during the blitz bombings, but which maintained the ties of that street for decades afterwards. Set in an area of East London called Silvertown, a once thriving docking community that at the turn of the 20th century was the industrial heartland of the south of England; the story focuses on the lives of 12 incredible women and their struggle to survive amidst the chaos of the war years. We have Nellie Greenwood, the author’s great grandmother who runs a laundry in Silvertown which becomes the focal point of the community. In 1917 a munitions factory in Silvertown explodes flattening much of the surrounding area and causing extensive damage to Constance Street – Nellie’s daughter is blown from her crib but miraculously survives. Deciding to open the laundry as a field hospital for the injured, Nellie and the women on the street come together to tend the wounded, the sick and the emotionally shattered as they cope with the aftermath of not just one but two world wars. Through the Great War, the roaring Twenties, the Depression and then the unimaginable – the outbreak of a second world war – Nellie and the street survive with love, laughter and friendships that bind the community together. But just as this incredible group of women live through the worst, the unthinkable happens. On 7 September 1940, Constance Street is no more. Following in the footsteps of Farewell to the East End by Jennifer Worth and The Sugar Girls, Constance Street is a life-affirming, heart-warming read that reminds us of a time when people pulled together.
Ordinary Joe
Ordinary Joe
Jon Teckman
¥66.22
A brilliant, fast-paced comedy about life behind the scenes in the film business, and how to survive when your greatest fantasy comes true and threatens to wreck your perfectly ordinary life. After the movie, when the credits roll up you might see his name flash past: ‘Joseph West’ and think nothing of it. Not an actor, not a director, Joe is just one of the money men, kept at arms distance from the talent. Until one night in New York the talent comes calling. Olivia Finch is lit from within, an actress who was born to it but can’t stand the superficiality anymore. Now all she wants is a real conversation with an ordinary guy – and Olivia Finch always gets what she wants. Cue Joe, married, ordinary accountant, Joe. And then cue a snowball of deception, acting and confusion that puts Joe in the limelight, his marriage in trouble and a dead body on the ground in this hilarious caper.
The Museum of Things Left Behind
The Museum of Things Left Behind
Seni Glaister
¥66.22
Escape into this hugely enjoyable, big-hearted and beautifully written novel, set in Vallerosa, a European country you’ve never heard of before. FIND YOURSELF IN VALLEROSA, A PLACE LOST IN TIME Vallerosa is every tourist’s dream – a tiny, picturesque country surrounded by lush valleys and verdant mountains; a place sheltered from modern life and the rampant march of capitalism. But in isolation, the locals have grown cranky, unfulfilled and disaffected. In the Presidential Palace hostile Americans, wise to the country’s financial potential, are circling like sharks … Can the town be fixed? Can the local bar owners be reconciled? Can an unlikely visitor be the agent of change and rejuvenation this broken idyll is crying out for? Full of wisdom, humour and light, THE MUSEUM OF THINGS LEFT BEHIND is a heart-warming fable for our times that asks us to consider what we have lost and what we have gained in modern life. A book about bureaucracy, religion and the people that really get things done, it is above all else a hymn to the inconstancy of time and the pivotal importance of a good cup of tea.
Care for Your Kitten (RSPCA Pet Guide)
Care for Your Kitten (RSPCA Pet Guide)
RSPCA
¥31.59
ublished in association with the RSPCA, the UK’s leading animal welfare charity, this practical family guide is full of expert advice on how to choose a kitten and how best to look after it. If you already own or are planning to buy a kitten this easy-to-use introductory guide is a must. Clearly illustrated with colour photographs throughout, it covers all aspects of daily care including housing, feeding, handling, hygiene, grooming, health and first aid. Published in association with the experts at the RSPCA, this book will help you ensure that you are giving your kitten the best possible start in life.
Borderlines
Borderlines
Michela Wrong
¥66.22
The debut novel by a British writer with nearly two decades of African experience – a compelling courtroom drama and a gritty, aromatic evocation of place, inspired by recent events. British lawyer Paula Shackleton is mourning a lost love when a small man in a lemon-coloured suit accosts her over breakfast in a Boston hotel. Winston Peabody represents the African state of North Darrar, embroiled in a border arbitration case with its giant neighbour. He needs help with the hearings in The Hague, Paula needs to forget the past. She flies to the state’s capital determined to lose herself in work, but soon discovers that even jobs taken with the purest intentions can involve moral compromise. Taking testimony in scorching refugee camps, delving into the colonial past, she becomes increasingly uneasy about her role. Budding friendships with a scarred former rebel and an idealistic young doctor whittle away at her pose of sardonic indifference, until Paula finds herself taking a step no decent lawyer should ever contemplate. Michela Wrong has been writing about Africa for two decades. In this taut legal thriller, rich with the Horn of Africa’s colours and aromas, she probes the motives underlying Western engagement with the continent, questioning the value of universal justice and exploring how history itself is forged. Above all her first novel is the story of a young woman’s anguished quest for redemption.
Barbara the Slut and Other People
Barbara the Slut and Other People
Lauren Holmes
¥58.86
Named a Best Book of 2015 by NPR, Bustle, Gawker, Lit Hub, Book Riot, Pure Wow, andPublisher's Weekly Holmes trains a precise lens on the millennial generation s mixed bag of manners, mores, and machinations In [these] beautifully brazen stories, worlds collide in fresh, imaginative ways. Elle A fresh, honest, and darkly funny debut collection about family, friends, and lovers, and the flaws that make us most human. Fearless, candid, and incredibly funny, Lauren Holmes is a newcomer who writes like a master. She tackles eros and intimacy with a deceptively light touch, a keen awareness of how their nervous systems tangle and sometimes short-circuit, and a genius for revealing our most vulnerable, spirited selves. In Desert Hearts, a woman takes a job selling sex toys in San Francisco rather than embark on the law career she pursued only for the sake of her father. In Pearl and the Swiss Guy Fall in Love, a woman realizes she much prefers the company of her pit bull and herself to the neurotic foreign fling who won t decamp from her apartment. In How Am I Supposed to Talk to You? a daughter hauls a suitcase of lingerie to Mexico for her flighty, estranged mother to resell there, wondering whether her personal mission to come out is worth the same effort. And in Barbara the Slut, a young woman with an autistic brother, a Princeton acceptance letter, and a love of sex navigates her high school s toxic, slut-shaming culture with open eyes. With heart, sass, and pitch-perfect characters, Barbara the Slut is a head-turning debut from a writer with a limitless career before her."
The Kiss Before Midnight: A Christmas Romance
The Kiss Before Midnight: A Christmas Romance
Sophie Pembroke
¥27.17
Heading home to Liverpool for Christmas, Molly Mackenzie isn’t just looking forward to the mulled wine and mince pies – she’s got high hopes for who she’ll find under the mistletoe this year! Unable to forget the delicious near miss with her brother’s best friend, Jake, last New Year’s Eve, Molly’s got a new resolution at the top of her list: seduce Jake and get this crazy chemistry out the way before it has serious repercussions on the rest of the Mackenzie family. Only Molly has underestimated the magic of the holiday season… The more stolen moments in the snow that she shares with Jake, the more determined she is to make it a whole lot more than just a kiss before midnight. It wouldn’t be Christmas without the festive warmth of a heart-meltingly romantic novella from Sophie Pembroke!
The Moral State We’re In
The Moral State We’re In
Julia Neuberger
¥72.30
A study of the moral state of the nation – the acid test of this being how we treat the weakest among us. Rabbi Julia Neuberger assesses the situation in the UK from her own unique viewpoint and draws some challenging and thought-provoking conclusions. Just as Will Hutton looked at the political landscape at a turning point in Britain, Rabbi Julia will take the moral temperature of the nation by looking at the ways in which we treat the weakest amongst us. The National Health Service, government pensions and asylum seekers all make daily headlines, and here is a writer with the moral authority and mastery of the necessary information to undertake this timely project. The way we treat the weak and vulnerable members of society has long been an established way to judge how civilised a society is. In this book, Julia looks at the extent to which the elderly are thought a burden, the way we care for the mentally ill, attitudes to asylum seekers and support for ex-offenders, as well as the care of children and the future of society in the UK. Her straight-forward approach to what has elsewhere proven highly esoteric, is here written with ease and fluidity and with a style that is highly approachable for those interested in the state of their nation with purely social, rather than academic, motivations. With her uncomplicated but extremely intelligent and candid take on the issues that make daily headlines, and with Julia’s high media profile, this book is guaranteed to tap into the state of our nation. Includes exciting new sections, reviewing the past year’s events, reception to her book and what – if anything – has changed in the way she sees our nation’s moral predicament.
Dark Angels
Dark Angels
Grace Monroe
¥51.50
How far would you go to protect your past? How much further to protect someone else's? The start of a thrilling Edinburgh-based series starring rebellious young lawyer Brodie McLennan. A celebrated Edinburgh lawyer is found murdered outside an infamous gay haunt and notorious dominatrix Kailash Coutts stands accused. Against her wishes, headstrong, unorthodox Brodie McClennan is appointed to defend Kailash under the watchful gaze of the 'Dark Angels', a violent street-gang led by the enigmatic Moses Tierney. As the case becomes ever more complex, Brodie receives a chilling photograph, establishing a link to a number of brutal murders and a suspected paedophile ring. It becomes apparent that a serial killer is haunting the city - and that powerful people are involved, intent on covering up past crimes. Brodie herself becomes a target - both for a depraved killer and for deadly forces in the highest of circles… A shocking, atmospheric thriller that combines a centuries-old conspiracy with heart-stopping terror for fans of Ian Rankin and Mo Hayder…
Desperate Measures
Desperate Measures
Kitty Neale
¥45.22
Four women seek the ultimate revenge against the men who betrayed them. The gritty drama from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Nobody’s Girl. SWINDLED… Val Thorn, Paula Richardson, Cheryl Cutter and Betty Grayson have one thing in common - they have all been betrayed by men. SHAMED… Rape victim Paula has been terrified ever since her brutal attack. High-flyer Val's life has fallen to pieces since she was forced out of her job. Grief-stricken by her grandmother's death, nurse Cheryl was tricked out of her inheritance. Timid housewife Betty sacrificed all for her husband. Now, 20 years later, he's left her and she's destitute. SACRIFICED… Now these four women want revenge. Masterminded by Val, the four women set out to right past wrongs. But will their role of avenging angels take them down a terrible road?
Dead Spy Running
Dead Spy Running
Jon Stock
¥54.25
Re-inventing the spy story for the 21st century. John Le Carre meets Jason Bourne! Suspended MI6 agent Daniel Marchant is running out of time. He’s alongside a man strapped with explosives at the London Marathon. If they drop their speed the belt will detonate, killing all around them. But is Marchant secretly working for the terrorists? Marchant’s father, ex-chief of MI6, was accused by the CIA of treachery. To prove his innocence, Marchant must take a perilous journey via Poland and India to unearth his father’s dark past, test his relationship with fellow spy Leila and challenge the heavy hand of America’s war on terror. Most of all, he has to learn to trust no one.
Black Widow
Black Widow
Jessie Keane
¥61.51
In Dirty Game, Annie Bailey was an East End Madam. In Black Widow she’s queen of the gangs and trying to save her daughter’s life… Annie Bailey had done it all; Madam, mistress and Gangster's moll. Now she's Annie Carter, and she taking over the East End. Annie knew that it wouldn't last. Everything was going so well; she was living in Majorca, had Max Carter - the head of the Carter firm by her side, and had given him a beautiful daughter, Layla. But if there was one thing life had taught her, it was that everything could change in the blink of an eye. One minute she's lying by the pool, the next she's out cold. When she comes round Max and Layla are gone. It's not long before she gets the demands. They want money or she'll be getting her little girl back in pieces… There's only one thing Annie can do, she heads back to the East End of London and gathers the Carter firm together. Someone has snatched her husband and child. Now there's a score to settle, and it's being settled Annie Carter style…
While You Were Dreaming
While You Were Dreaming
Lola Jaye
¥63.77
A warm and uplifting tale, perfect for fans of Dorothy Koomson. Lena has always kept her two sisters Millie and Cara in check. Beautiful but lazy Millie relies on her sister for everything. She needs to pull herself together and get a job but is constantly distracted by the string of men in her life… Cara runs a successful bar with her adoring boyfriend Ade.He can’t wait to start a family but Cara isn't ready. Will she ever be? But when Lena is involved in an accident her sisters forget their own issues and rush to her side.As they desperately try to wake Lena from her deep sleep, they begin to learn things they never knew about themselves and discover their much-loved sister had a few secrets in her closet… A funny and heartwarming tale about family, love and living for the moment.
The Book of Fires
The Book of Fires
Jane Borodale
¥63.18
A stunning historical novel, 'The Book of Fires' is the unforgettable story of Agnes Trussel – and love, fireworks and redemption. Brought up in rural Sussex, seventeen-year-old Agnes Trussel is carrying an unwanted child. Taking advantage of the death of her elderly neighbour, Agnes steals her savings and runs away to London. On her way she encounters the intriguing Lettice Talbot who promises that she will help Agnes upon their arrival. But Agnes soon becomes lost in the dark, labyrinthine city. She ends up at the household of John Blacklock, laconic firework-maker, becoming his first female assistant. The months pass and it becomes increasingly difficult for Agnes to conceal her secret. Soon she meets Cornelius Soul, seller of gunpowder, and hatches a plan which could save her from ruin. Yet why does John Blacklock so vehemently disapprove of Mr Soul? And what exactly is he keeping from her? Could the housekeeper, Mrs Blight, with her thirst for accounts of hangings, suspect her crime or condition? Historical fiction at its very best, ‘The Book of Fires’ is utterly intriguing, completely compelling and impossible to put down.
‘… then he ate my boy entrancers.’
‘… then he ate my boy entrancers.’
Louise Rennison
¥51.50
Hilariously funny Louise Rennison’s fabby sixth book of the confessions of crazy but lovable teenager Georgia Nicolson. Guaranteed to have the nation laughing their knickers off! “Come on, Jas, you do really want to know my plan, especially as it concerns you, my little hairy pally.” “I’m not hairy.” “Have it your own way, just don’t go near any circuses.” “Shut up. Go on then, tell me your plan.” “OK, this is it: when I go to Hamburger-a-gogo land… you come with me! Do you see? We will be like Thelma and Louise!” “We’re not called Thelma and Louise.” “I know that, I’m just saying we will be LIKE THEM!” “And we’re not American. And neither of us can drive.” “Oh dear God. Jas, your spaceship has arrived. Please get in.” Laugh your knickers off at Georgia’s tales from her trip to Hamburger-a-gogo land (the US) and her attempts to entice Masimo, the Italian stallion. Can Georgia become the composed sex-kitten she aspires to be…?
Livin’ la Vida Lola (Lola Love)
Livin’ la Vida Lola (Lola Love)
Lisa Clark
¥38.36
Ever wondered how Lola Love, star of top go-for-it-girl guides Think Pink and Beauty*Licious became the hipster heroine she is today? Follow her from drab to fab in Livin’ la Vida Lola, the first book in the Lola Love fiction series from author Lisa Clark. Lola Love is stuck. Stuck in Dullsville-by-Sea all summer long, all by herself. Her best friend, Angel, is on holiday with her parents, her beloved Aunt Lullah has moved to New York, her parents can’t decide if they’re together or not AND the school queen bee, Eva Satine has decided that making Lola’s life a misery is the perfect summer project. There’s nothing for Lola to do other than watch old movies, avoid her mum and dream big dreams. Boring. But all that is about to change… Just like Aunt Lullah told her before she left - nothing will happen unless you make it happen - and it’s all about to happen to Lola Love! Follow Lola as she learns how to make friends, how to deal with her parents and most importantly - how to think pink! From the author of top life guides for today’s pink ladies, Think Pink, Beauty*Licious, It’s a Girl Thing and Viva la Diva, Lisa Clark, this funny, fearless and fabulous story is the perfect pick me up for anyone a little bit confused about that pesky thing called life.
The Magic Charm (Silver Dolphins, Book 1)
The Magic Charm (Silver Dolphins, Book 1)
Summer Waters
¥13.44
Exciting new magical adventure series - will you answer the call of the Silver Dolphins? Antonia is thrilled to win first prize in the Sea Watch poster competition - a dolphin charm necklace. But when she is presented with it, she is mysteriously told to 'always answer the call'. Soon she discovers that her necklace has magical powers that draw her to the sea where she meets a pod of dolphins and learns she has been chosen for a very special role. But Antonia's new responsibilities not only conflict with her friendships; they also bring her into danger. Is she brave enough to face her fears? And can she be a Silver Dolphin without losing her best friend?
William Walker’s First Year of Marriage: A Horror Story
William Walker’s First Year of Marriage: A Horror Story
Matt Rudd
¥54.25
For anyone who has ever dreamed of finding true love only to discover that happy endings are just the beginning comes this brilliantly comic novel about marriage, ex-girlfriends, ‘performance anxiety’, and what it takes to make happily ever last beyond the honeymoon. William is a happy man. He has just married Isabel, the girl of his dreams, and is confidently sailing along on a sea of wedded bliss. He’s got a hot wife, a snazzy new job and things couldn’t be much better. Sure, there are a few bumps in the road, but life on the whole is good. That is until Isabel’s ‘best friend’ Alex starts to intrude on their wedded bliss. And when William’s ex-girlfriend Saskia – aka the ‘Destroyer of Relationships’ – appears on the scene, things go from bad to worse. For marriage, William quickly discovers, has its own set of rules. And while falling in love is easy, staying in love can be a whole lot trickier… Witty, irreverent and laugh-out-loud funny, “William Walker’s First Year of Marriage: A Horror Story” is the perfect novel for anyone who has ever wanted to know what the person they’re facing at the altar is REALLY thinking – and been rightly afraid to ask.
Imran Khan: The Cricketer, The Celebrity, The Politician
Imran Khan: The Cricketer, The Celebrity, The Politician
Christopher Sandford
¥147.35
The definitive biography of Imran Khan, the former Pakistan cricket captain and all-rounder – the Oxbridge graduate and vociferous campaigner; the devout Muslim whose kaleidoscopic social life flooded the gossip columns; the man who raised $60 million for cancer research and who is now one of the most important political figures in Pakistan. On one thing, Imran Khan’s friends and enemies agree: it all began with the leopard print satin trousers. In November 1974, the Cricketer International published an article about the new elite group of young talented players, ‘into concepts like fashion and pop music’, and bent on challenging cricket’s eternal stereotypes. Of the five featured stars on the cover, a superbly hirsute 21-year-old wearing a tight black shirt and gaudy trousers, with a facial expression of supreme self-confidence, stood out. Imran Khan has always been a controversial figure, a man who gives rise to hot debate on account of his strong conviction and hard line views. From his achievements on the cricket field as the Pakistan captain who captured the World Cup and the game’s best all-rounder in history, through to his racy social life – the practising Muslim boogieing on the dancefloor of Annabel’s, ‘an astonishing lovemaker’, according to one overnight partner, praised by Diana Princess of Wales, close friend to his then wife Jemima Goldsmith, as a ‘devoted husband’ – the Imran story is full of colour and contradictions. Acclaimed biographer Christopher Sandford has approached a richly varied cast list of Imran associates past and present – from Geoff Boycott, Javed Miandad, Mike Brearley, David Gower and John Major through to Nelson Mandela and close acquaintances male and female such as Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, John Major, Keith Richards, sources close to the late Princess of Wales and Pakistan’s General Musharraf. Imran Khan himself has agreed to be interviewed for the book and given Sandford exclusive access to his inner sanctum.