万本电子书0元读

万本电子书0元读

Bed Rest
Bed Rest
Bilston, Sarah
¥84.16
In a charming and witty novel in the tradition of Allison Pearson and Sophie Kinsella, Sarah Bilston tells the story of a busy career woman who finds her pregnancy a breeze -- until she's ordered off her feet for complete and total bed rest.Quinn "Q" Boothroyd is a young British lawyer married to an American and living in New York City. She's checked off most of the boxes on her "Modern Woman's List of Things to Do Before Hitting 30," and her busy working life has been relatively painless. But when her doctor tells her she must spend the last three months of her pregnancy lying in bed, Q is thrown into a tailspin. Initially bored and frustrated, Q soon fills her days by trying to reconnect with her workaholic husband, provide legal advice for her sweet Greek neighbor, forge new emotional bonds with her mother and sisters, and figure out who will keep her stocked up in cookies and sandwiches.Q experiences adventures on the couch she never would have encountered in the law firm and learns a lot about herself and what she wants out of life -- above all, about the little one growing inside her.
Kockroach
Kockroach
Knox, Tyler
¥84.16
It is the mid-1950s, and Kockroach, perfectly content with his life infesting a fleabag hotel off Times Square, awakens to discover that somehow he's been transformed into, of all things, a human. A tragic turn of events, yes, but cockroaches are awesome coping machines, so Kockroach copes. Step by step, he learns the ways of man—how to walk, how to talk, and how to wear a jaunty brown fedora. Led by his primitive desires and insectile amorality, he navigates through the bizarre human realms of crime, business, politics, and sex. Will he find success or be squashed flat from aboveWill he change humanity, or will humanity change him?
Tumbling After
Tumbling After
Witcover, Paul
¥84.16
Jack and Jilly Doone are twelve-year-old twins bound by blood and forbidden secrets. Running wild through endless August afternoons, they explore the tributaries of Chesapeake Bay, spinning fantasies and sneaking cigarettes. But when a near-drowning awakens a strange power in Jack, the line between fantasy and reality blurs. . . .Kestrel is an airie, one of five mutant races born in the conflict known as the Viral Wars. With one companion from each of the other races—a delph, a merm, a mander, and a boggle—he sets out to battle human enemies sworn to exterminate mutantkind.Now the destinies of two worlds move toward a shocking convergence . . . and a climax of violent transfiguration.
The Ancient Ship
The Ancient Ship
Zhang, Wei
¥84.16
Originally published in 1987, two years before the Tiananmen Square protests, Zhang Wei's award-winning novel is the story of three generations of the Sui, Zhao, and Li families living in the fictional northern town of Wali during China's troubled postliberation years.Spanning four decades following the creation of the People's Republic in 1949, The Ancient Ship is a bold examination of a society in turmoil, the struggle of oppressed people to control their own fate, and the clash between tradition and modernization. In the course of the narrative, the townspeople of Wali face the moments that have defined China's history during the latter part of the twentieth century: the land reform programs, the famine of 1959-1961, the Great Leap Forward, the Anti-Rightist Campaign, and the Cultural Revolution. Translated into English for the very first time, The Ancient Ship is a revolutionary work of Chinese fiction that speaks to people across the globe.
Pretty Little Mistakes
Pretty Little Mistakes
McElhatton, Heather
¥84.16
There are hundreds of lives sown inside Pretty Little Mistakes, Heather McElhatton's singularly spectacular, breathtakingly unique novel that has more than 150 possible endings. You may end up in an opulent mansion or homeless down by the river; happily married with your own corporation or alone and pecked to death by ducks in London; a Zen master in Japan or morbidly obese in a trailer park. Is it destiny or decision that controls our fateYou can't change your past and start over from scratch in real life—but in Pretty Little Mistakes, you can! But be warned, choose wisely.
Yoga Hotel
Yoga Hotel
Moynihan, Maura
¥84.16
In the 1970s, Maura Moynihan moved to New Delhi with her mother and father, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who at the time was U.S. ambassador to India. She wasfascinated by the country's contradictions: ancient religions amid urban chaos, the staggering disparity between rich and poor, and Indian familial tradition and the lure of Western novelty.From three decades of deeply sympathetic observation came the inspiration for these stories, in which the characters' beliefs are challenged as they interact with those outside their culture. British and American expatriates mingle with Indian friends, colleagues, and servants, and the stories follow the change, or failure to change, that results. Hari, a young Indian servant, hopes for his amiable British boss's help in escaping a prearranged wedding. An American embassy worker named Melanie becomes disillusioned when her married lover uses her to get a visa. At a Himalayan retreat, a wealthy group gathers to seek spiritual enlightenment, but their altruism is tested when they are asked to buy dowries for a poor Indian family.Through witty dialogue and engaging scenes, Moynihan examines how both easterners and westerners struggle for dignity. Replete with humor and poignancy, Yoga Hotel is a stunning literary debut from a writer who understands the complexity and universality of human hopes, fears, and desires.
The Cabala and The Woman of Andros
The Cabala and The Woman of Andros
Wilder, Thornton
¥84.16
Featuring an illuminating new foreword by Penelope Niven and a revealing afterword by Tappan Wilder, this reissue of two early books by Thornton Wilder reintroduces the reader to the author's first novel, The Cabala, and to The Woman of Andros, one of the inspirations for his Pulitzer Prize-winning play Our Town.A young American student spends a year in the exotic world of post-World War I Rome. While there, he experiences firsthand the waning days of a secret community (a "cabala") of decaying royalty, a great cardinal of the Roman Church, and an assortment of memorable American ex-pats. The Cabala, a semiautobiographical novel of unforgettable characters and human passions, launched Wilder's career as a celebrated storyteller and dramatist.The Woman of Andros, Wilder's best-selling novel, published in 1930, is set on the obscure Greek island of Brynos before the birth of Christ, and explores Everyman questions of what is precious about life and how we live, love, and die. Eight years later, Wilder would pose the same questions on the stage in a play titled Our Town, also set in an obscure location, this time a village in New Hampshire. The Woman of Andros is celebrated for some of the most beautiful writing in American literature.
A Little Help from Above
A Little Help from Above
Rosenberg, Saralee
¥84.16
Saralee Rosenberg's compelling debut novel, told in a warm, wise and endearing voice, is about sisters, mothers and daughters, and loss, sacrifice and love.When Shelby Lazarus returns home to Long Island in the midst of a family crisis, she is forced to face all the issues from which she originally ran away her mother's untimely death, her father's second marriage, her sister's neuroticism, and her own life's path. When her Jewish mother cannot help but meddle in her daughters' lives from the afterlife, it seems all that Shelby needed was a little help from above. This poignant novel, peppered with some wonderful humour, is sure to hit the heart of the women's fiction market.
The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game
Olson, Eugenie Seifer
¥84.16
When Moxie Brecker chose her kicky nickname back in college, it suited her perfectly. But now she feels it's one big misnomer. After graduation, she set out to command her own seventh-grade science class and was stunned to find the job too challenging. She didn't have the energy necessary to get a roomful of pre-teens excited about atoms, and she never felt like herself, so she handed in her chalk and lesson plans. Stumped about where to turn next, she followed the advice of her best friend Gerard and took a job folding underthings at the chain lingerie store in the mall.She's got plenty at home to distract her, including her neighbor, Steven Tyler (no, not that Stephen Tyler) and the kindly septuagenarian Joe, who runs the joke shop downstairs, but she spends her days languishing in the store. Though she feels tired and just out of it physically, she still gets bored steaming peignoir sets, protecting the thong table from shoplifters, and readjusting bras straps for hours on end. Maybe that's why, when a handsome guy named Allan starts hanging around the store for little chats, Moxie sees hope on the horizon. Maybe, just maybe, her employee discount won't go to waste for much longer
Passport Diaries
Passport Diaries
Gregory, Tamara
¥84.16
Kia Carson, a Los Angeles district attorney with beauty, brains, taste, and style, is about to turn thirty-five. There's just one problem with her picture-perfect life -- she's not got one eligible man in sight. Well, thank God she has her career . . . at least until she gets suspended from her job. To regain her sense of purpose, she plans a restorative girl's night out -- all the way to Europe.In this fresh and funny Los Angeles Times bestseller, Kia embarks on what becomes a defining journey to London, Paris, and Greece, where she finds a little bit of trouble, a whole lot of laughs, and what she didn't even know she was looking for -- herself.
Polly
Polly
Bryant, Amy
¥84.16
If you're looking for Polly Clark, she'll be the girl wearing Doc Martens and a Bad Brains T-shirt at the punk show. She'll be (almost) losing her virginity to a high school dropout, accompanied by the Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn." She'll be looking for her artistic soul while trying to solve the mysteries of guys, life, her seriously dysfunctional family . . . and herself.In eight chapters, Polly is shaped by eight relationships in this honest, tender, original, and utterly endearing story of one girl's stumbles and successes in the world of punked-out 1980s suburban romance -- the unforgettable debut of an extraordinary new voice in contemporary fiction.
Sharing Sean
Sharing Sean
Pye, Frances
¥84.16
Sharing Sean is a fabulously entertaining, and comedic debut novel in which four women in their late thirties–with no time, or desire for a full time relationship–hatch a plan to "share" a man. Not all women read bridal magazines, shop for dates on the internet, and covet the letters M., R., and S.. Some women prefer their baggage to be the purse variety and aren't seeking love or even fidelity–just a man who is willing to play by her rules. In the smart, wry, entertaining debut novel, Sharing Sean, Frances Pye introduces four such women in their late thirties–with no time, or desire for a committed relationship–and the unintended consequences that result when they hatch a bold plan to share one Mr. Right. Singles Lily, Terry, Jules and Mara meet for Sunday brunch at least once a month to bemoan the lack of a man who'll meet their individual needs. Lily longs for two or three nights a week of uncomplicated–but passionate–sex; Terry, wants a stand–in father figure for her teenage son; Jules is looking for some no–strings–attached–sperm to fulfil her dream of becoming a parent; and Mara, a widow, needs just enough intrigue to help her begin to let go of the bittersweet memories of her deceased husband. They're each equally frustrated until Sean comes into Lily's life. The owner of a small construction company, Sean is great–looking and in bed. Initially he even agrees to Lily's terms for a relationship. But ultimately, he is left longing for more than just sex, and when he presses her for a bigger commitment, Lily dumps him. But over a long Sunday brunch, it becomes clear that Sean could give each of them exactly what they need. So, Lily decides the best solution for all is to share him! Audacious and unconventional, their plan is downright scandalous–and all the more brilliant, if they can pull it off without Sean's knowledge. Trouble being, even though these resourceful women think they can offer him everything he wants: sex; admiration; friendship; children–sometimes a man just doesn't want to be the object of so many desires..or hidden agendas!
The Rake
The Rake
Buckley, William F.
¥84.16
A prototypical child of the sixties, Senator Reuben Castle coasted through his early life on a cloud of easy charisma, leaving behind more skeletons than Arlington: a highly questionable Vietnam record, an abandoned wife, and worse. Now, two decades later, his greatest dream is within reach. But his personal history is about to become his political epitaph—unless he takes the direst of measures to protect himself.From William F. Buckley Jr.—nationally bestselling author and one of the keenest political minds of our time—comes an ingenious blending of satire and suspense, the riveting tale of an all-too-recognizable presidential candidate and the dark shadows cast behind him.
Babe in Toyland
Babe in Toyland
Olson, Eugenie Seifer
¥84.16
A game that's fun for all ages!Some assembly required. . . . . .Step One: Open Box Warning: Some Pieces May Have Sharp Edges Former art student Toby Morris is twenty-five, and she knows she's supposed to be out there . . . somewhere . . . building a career by day and filling up her nights with an endless parade of men. Instead, she's working at Toyland, designing instruction sheets for one of the biggest toy companies around . . . and if she never sees hot pink doll hair, cardboard game spinners, or glow-in-the-dark mini race cars again, it'll be too soon.Step Two: Insert Metal Tab (a) Into Plastic Base (b)Toby is bored . . . what she needs is some excitement, some change in the emotional weather. And she gets it the day she tunes into the weekend TV news and gets a good look at cute meteorologist J.P. Cody. Suddenly, the clouds break, and Toby decides to make J.P. her very own action figure. Only trouble is, J.P. has no idea who Toby is. At least, not yet . . .
Confessions of a Serial Dater
Confessions of a Serial Dater
Cunnah, Michelle
¥84.16
Another great tale of love gone wild from author Michelle Cunnah, a favourite voice of Avon Trade fans whose loveable characters are creating a stir. A good relationship is like a pair of comfortable shoes, rightAt first, they may pinch and squeeze, but with time (and blisters) they mould to your feet for a perfect fit. Rosie Mayford isn't sure she believes this theory-after all, she takes a size eleven wide, so she has first-hand experience of the trials and tribulations of finding exactly the right shoes. She's praying finding the right man won't be nearly that hard. With the "help" of her meddling family and friends, it's not, even if she partly found a Mr. Right just to get them off her back. But now whatRosie and Jonathan couldn't be in more different places in their lives, and they are about to find out just how exhilarating-and disastrous--a mismatched love affair can be. Will they get to the part where they're broken in and life is nothing but great sex and comforting hugs, or will one of them get sent off in scorn like a pair of too-small stilettos that felt okay in the storeWhat do you do when Mr. Right gets the timing wrong?
The Dark House
The Dark House
Sedgwick, John
¥84.16
"Don't you ever wonder about them -- the people around you?" Who are they, the strangers you pass, the strangers who pass you, at the supermarket, at the mall, on the roadTake that dark Nissan in your rearview mirror. Just another pair of headlights on your stretch of highway, you think. Now indulge your imagination. Who is heWhere is he headedA traveling salesman, you'd guess, or maybe a suburbanite going home to his family after a long day at the office. After all, you and he are just a random pair of commuters whose lives have momentarily converged -- rightYou adjust your mirror. He's still there -- a lone male, late thirties. Rather handsome, acutally. And his eyes are on you. And his eyes are on you. And they stay on you... Meet Edward Rollins, scion of one of Boston's more notable families. Securely yet unhappily employed at one of the city's finest investment houses, he is a man of means -- and of secrets. What began as a lark, a way of unwinding, has become for Rollins an obsession. Each night, armed with a hand-held tape recorder, he randomly picks a car and follows it to a destination, cataloging the habits and peculiarities of its driver, imagining from those details the sort of life that might have been his. But one night changes everything. Trailing a car to a remote suburb, Rollins follows it to a mystery involving a vanished heiress, a mystery to which he unwittingly holds the key. In his desperate isolation, he turns to Marj Simmons, a young colleague he barely knows. To find the truth, they must unlock the secrets of Rollins's own past -- a search that could free him from his own dark house of despair. A harrowing, tension-riddled literary thriller that echoes the storytelling power of Frederick Busch and Ian McEwan, The Dark House heralds the arrival of a major talent.
Choosing Sophie
Choosing Sophie
Carroll, Leslie
¥84.16
When life throws you a curve ball... Venus deMarley has just been hit with a wild pitch. At forty she's finally found the perfect fiancé, when Sophie—the daughter she gave up for adoption twenty years ago—suddenly reappears. Venus has another crisis on her hands as well: her eccentric millionaire dad just died and willed her his pet project—a rag-tag minor league baseball team called the Bronx Cheers—if Venus and Sophie can reconcile and once again become a family. Venus knows diddly about sports, but Sophie's a jock, unlike her glamorous mom. And after two decades apart, these two women know nothing about each other, and rarely agree on anything. But maybe—just maybe—they have more in common than they think...
Don't Ever Wonder
Don't Ever Wonder
Coleman, Darren
¥84.16
Nate, a "reformed" womanizer, is still recovering from a tragedy and swears that his days of being a player are over. Has his new faith and new woman really tamed him, or is he just biding his time until he re-enters the gameBrendan is the type of man every woman wants -- until she gets one. But, since his heart was broken, Brendan has vowed never to commit again. Cory, a successful businessman, has it all on track. Or does heWill his affair with his sister-in-law come back to haunt himEach man must confront his own ideal of manhood and intimacy as he embarks on an emotional roller-coaster -- one that will keep you on the edge of your seat, as well as give women an inside look at what brothers really want.
The Sand Fish
The Sand Fish
Gargash, Maha
¥84.16
A fascinating window into a different culture—and an inspiring and unforgettable universal story of strength and self-reliance—from an extraordinarily wise and lyrical new literary voiceComing of age in the 1950s, seventeen-year-old Noora is unlike other women of the sun-battered mountains at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Though she shares their poverty and, like them, bears life's hardships without complaint, she is also fiery and independent. Following the death of her mother and her father's descent into dazed madness, Noora flees the threat of an arranged marriage, only to be driven back to her unwanted fate by disappointment and heartbreak. As the third wife to a rich, much older man, Noora struggles to adjust to her new home by the sea, thinking of herself as a sand fish—the desert lizard she observed in the mountains, which, when stuck in the wrong place and desperate to escape, smashed itself again and again into unyielding rocks. But then a light is shone into her miserable darkness, resulting in an unexpected passion, a shocking indiscretion, and a secret that could jeopardize Noora's life.
Small Wars
Small Wars
Jones, Sadie
¥84.16
The prizewinning author of The Outcast delivers the emotionally searing story of a marriage in crisis, an unflinching look at lives irrevocably altered by one of history's "small wars."Hal Treherne is a major in the British Army, a young and dedicated soldier on the brink of a brilliant career. When he is transferred to the British colony of Cyprus in 1956, Hal is joined by Clara, his beautiful and supportive wife, and their baby daughters. The Trehernes quickly learn that the Mediterranean is no "sunshine posting," however, and soon Hal is caught up in the battle to defend the island against Cypriots seeking enosis, union with Greece.Leading his men in difficult and bloody skirmishes, after years of peaceful service, Hal at last tastes triumph. But his confidence and pride quickly fade: traumatized by the brutality he witnesses—and thwarted again in his attempts to do the right thing—Hal finds himself well trained in duty but ill equipped for moral battle.A seasoned army wife, Clara shares her husband's sense of obligation. She knows to settle in quickly, make no fuss, smile. But as she struggles to trust her own maternal instincts and resist the anxiety that surges with Hal's frequent absences, Clara grows fearful of her increasingly distant husband. When she needs him most, Clara finds the once-tender Hal a changed man—a betrayal that is only part of the shocking personal crisis to come.What place is there for honor amid cruelty, and what becomes of intimacy in the grinding gears of empireA passionate and brilliantly researched novel about the effects of war on the men who wage it and the families they leave behind, Small Wars raises important questions that resonate for our own time.
A Second Helping
A Second Helping
Jenkins, Beverly
¥84.16
With the millions she received after divorcing her faithless tycoon husband, Bernadine Brown saved the historic town of Henry Adams, Kansas, from financial ruin and found loving homes for five needy children. Now there are other "projects" crying out for rescue.If ever a town institution needed rescuing, it's the beloved Dog and Cow diner. Once it was Henry Adams's social center—or gossip central!—now it's in danger of becoming duct-tape central. But there are other distractions pulling Bernadine from the task at hand: a plethora of romantic entanglements, including her own with a disturbingly attractive Malachi July; a bitter young boy newly arrived in town with his widowed father; and a fugitive on the run with a six-hundred-pound pet pig that's wanted for murder (the pig, that is). And when Bernadine's philandering, troublemaking ex-husband rolls into town looking for a second chance, life in Henry Adams gets very interesting indeed.