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Ten Minutes to Bed: Little Mermaid (Ten Minutes to Bed)
by Rhiannon FieldingWritten specifically for bedtime, this story is full of shimmering fish, dancing crabs, a friendly whale... and one adventurous little mermaid!Weaving a journey from lively beginning to gentle end, the ten minute countdown to bed is at the heart of this enchanting story. But will Splash get to bed on time? This beautifully illustrated picture book is perfect for fans of Disney's The Little Mermaid and the right length for sending little ones off to sleep. Also available: Ten Minutes to Bed: Little Unicorn 9780241348925, Ten Minutes to Bed: Little Monster 9780241348918, Ten Minutes to Bed: Little Unicorn's Christmas 9780241414576Coming soon: Ten Minutes to Bed: Little Dinosaur 9780241386736
The City of Brass: A Novel (The Daevabad Trilogy #1)
by null Shannon ChakrabortyDiscover this spellbinding debut from Sunday Times bestseller S.A. Chakraborty. ‘An extravagant feast of a book – spicy and bloody, dizzyingly magical, and still, somehow, utterly believable’ Laini Taylor, Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Among the bustling markets of eighteenth century Cairo, the city’s outcasts eke out a living swindling rich Ottoman nobles and foreign invaders alike. But alongside this new world the old stories linger. Tales of djinn and spirits. Of cities hidden among the swirling sands of the desert, full of enchantment, desire and riches. Where magic pours down every street, hanging in the air like dust. Many wish their lives could be filled with such wonder, but not Nahri. She knows the trades she uses to get by are just tricks and sleights of hand: there’s nothing magical about them. She only wishes to one day leave Cairo, but as the saying goes… Be careful what you wish for.
Eldest: Book Two (The Inheritance Cycle #2)
by Christopher PaoliniMaster storyteller and internationally bestselling author Christopher Paolini returns to the World of Eragon with Murtagh. Murtagh, a stunning epic fantasy set a year after the events of the Inheritance Cycle, will publish in 2023.The second book in The Inheritance CycleDarkness falls . . . Despair abounds . . . Evil reigns . . .Fresh from their battle for the rebel state against King Galbatorix, Eragon has no time to rest.He and his dragon, Saphira, must travel to Ellesméra, the land of the elves for more training in magic and swordsmanship, the vital skills of a Dragon Rider.Even though he's heading off on the journey of a lifetime, chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and Eragon doesn't know who to trust.And while he's off on his own journey, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle back home in Carvahall - one that puts Eragon in even graver danger.Will the king's dark hand strangle all resistance? Eragon may not escape with even his life . . .
Mister Magic: A dark nostalgic supernatural thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Hide
by Kiersten WhiteWho is Mister Magic? Former child stars reunite to uncover the tragedy that ended their show - and discover the secret of its enigmatic host - in this dark supernatural thriller from the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Hide. Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children's program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who - or what - the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former circle of friends have.Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it's been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven't seen each other for years, they somehow understand one another better than anyone has since.After all, they're the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?Because magic never forgets the taste of your friendship. . . .
Baltasar & Blimunda
by José SaramagoIn early eighteenth-century Lisbon, Baltasar, a soldier who has lost his left hand in battle, falls in love with Blimunda, a young girl with visionary powers. From the day that he follows her home from the auto-da-fe where women are burned at the stake, the two are bound body and soul by love of an unassailable strength. A third party shares their supper that evening: Padre Bartolomeu Lourenco, whose fantasy is to invent a flying machine. As the Crown and the Church clash, they purse his impossible, not to mention heretical, dream of flight.
The Nightingale's Castle: A thrillingly evocative and page-turning gothic historical novel for fans of Stacey Halls and Susan Stokes-Chapman
by Sonia Velton'I was blown away by this dark, enchanting story of witchcraft, power and injustice. ..nothing short of brilliant' Mary ChamberlainErzsébet Báthory, whose infamous place in history characterises her as the 'Blood Countess', was accused of the murder of over 600 peasant girls in Hungary, 1610. The Nightingale's Castle tells the story of a woman fighting for her survival and the complicated, often cruel, household over which she presides.Praise for The Nightingale's Castle'Moving, fascinating and haunting.. A mesmerising combination of gothic horror and elegant restraint' Francesca De Tores, author of Saltblood'Gripping... a fascinating exploration of women's struggle to have their truth heard' Louise O'NeillIn 1573, Countess Erzsébet Báthory gave birth to an illegitimate child. The infant, a girl, was swiftly bundled up and handed to a local peasant family to be brought up in one of the hamlets surrounding the Castle. Many years later, 15-year-old Boróka reluctantly leaves the safety of the only home she has ever known in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Trusted members of the countess's household have been sent out to gather new serving girls, and the kindly old man who has taken care of Boróka for almost all her life knows that it is dangerous to turn them away.Boróka struggles to find her place at Cachtice Castle: she is frightened of the countess's reputation as an alleged murderer of young girls, and the women who run the castle are terrifyingly cruel. When plague comes into the heart of the castle, a tentative bond begins to form between Boróka and the Countess Báthory. But powerful forces are moving against a woman whose wealth poses such a threat to the king: can the countess really trust the women who are so close to her? And when the show trial begins against the infamous 'Blood Countess' where will Boróka's loyalties lie?
The Mars House: A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick
by Natasha Pulley'Pure Pulley' STUART TURTON'Joyful and profound' CATRIONA WARD'Simply unputdownable' THOMAS D. LEE'A work of staggering genius' IMRAN MAHMOOD'Charming and funny and perfectly paced' TEMI OH'A spiritual heir to Terry Pratchett' ROBIN STEVENS 'Book of the year for me' LAUREN JAMESJanuary Stirling was one of the principal dancers of London's Royal Ballet. Now he's a climate refugee bound for Tharsis, the notorious terraformed colony on Mars. It's a utopia for the naturalised population. For January, as a dangerous Earthstronger whose body is unadjusted to the weaker Martian gravity, it's a life sentence to hard labour and ferocious discrimination. But he will live.Aubrey Gale, energy trillionaire and hereditary senator, is running for election on a hardline platform to protect the native population from dangerous immigrants. The path to equality is simple, requiring all Earthstrongers who choose to come to Mars to undergo the disabling and sometimes fatal process of surgical naturalisation.Which is no life at all.When a disastrous media encounter plunges Aubrey and January's lives into chaos, the solution is a five-year made-for-reality-TV marriage that could secure January's future and ensure Aubrey's political success . . . but it soon becomes clear that thousands of lives hang in the balance, and nothing is as it seems.Timely and utterly unputdownable, The Mars House is an exceptional genre-blending story about privilege, strength, life, and love across class divisions - perfect for fans of Babel by R.F. Kuang, The Ferryman by Justin Cronin, and This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone.
The Big Book of Cyberpunk Vol. 1
by VariousVOLUME ONE OF TWOA genre-defining-and redefining-collection of fiction's boldest, most rebellious, and most prescient genre, featuring a smorgasbord of stories from across the globeIn The Big Book of Cyberpunk, award-winning anthologist Jared Shurin brings together over a hundred stories from more than twenty-five different countries. Here are tales that both establish and subvert the classic Cyberpunk tropes and aesthetic – from gritty, near-future noir to pulse-pounding action. Urban rebels undermine their monolithic corporate overlords, daring heists are conducted through back alleys and the darkest parts of the online world, and dangerous new technology, cybernetic enhancements, scheming AIs, corporate mercenaries, improbable weapons and roguish hackers all collide into rich, thrilling entertainment. Set across two volumes, these are stories that examine the near-now, extrapolating the most provocative trends into fascinating and plausible futures.We live in an increasingly Cyberpunk world, packed with complex technologies and globalised social trends. It is a world so bizarre that even the futurists couldn’t explain it – though many authors in this book have come closer than most. As both an introduction to the genre and the perfect compendium for the lifelong fan, The Big Book of Cyberpunk Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 offer more than a hundred ways to understand where we are, and where we’re going – or simply the opportunity to venture down dazzling, neon-slicked streets.
Supersausage to the rescue! (Superpets! #1)
by Rachel MorrisroeThe first book in a hilarious series for 7+ readers from bestselling author Rachel Morrisroe, packed with laughs, heart and superhero pets! Nine-year-old Harry has always wanted a dog and when he sees Dottie at the local animal shelter he knows she's the perfect puppy for him. What he doesn't realise is that Dottie is a dog with a difference . . . she can talk and fly!And Harry's not the only one interested in Dottie, and soon they are both scooped up in their very first mission with the SuperPets, a secret league of very special pets who keep the world safe from harm.But the other SuperPets have been kidnapped by Sparkletta Crystal, can "Super Sausage" (aka Dottie) and Harry stop the evil supervillain in her tracks before it's too late?Full of friendship, fun and silly superhero antics, this is the perfect new series for fans of The Naughtiest Unicorn, Wigglesbottom Primary and The Secret Life of Pets!
Tidemagic: The Many Faces of Ista Flit
by Clare HarlowBe swept away by an exquisite and unforgettable adventure from a stunning new talent in children's storytelling, perfect for fans of Northern Lights and The Unadoptables.Meet Ista Flit. Daughter. Face-changer. Thief . . .Amongst the cobbled streets and misty alleyways of Shelwich, magic rises and falls with the Tide. When the Tide is out, the magic ebbs to a low murmur. When the Tide is in, the magic is high - and Tide-blessings are at their strongest.For most people, the Tide-blessing they are born with is nothing more than a simple party trick: eyes that change colour, or the ability to recite a poem backwards. Some, though, are blessed with more powerful gifts. Telepathy. Flight. Or, in the case of Ista Flit, being able to transform to look like someone else. Anyone else...Ista has come to Shelwich in search of her missing father, and she'll do anything to find him - even work for Shelwich's most notorious thief. Then she meets Nat and Ruby, both struggling with their own search: Nat for his little brother, Ravi, and Ruby for her sister Saf. As more strange disappearances send shockwaves through the town, they must form a tentative friendship and draw on all the Tidemagic they can to unravel a mystery that leads to an old, abandoned theatre, and to the ancient caves beneath Shelwich. But what they find there will be far more than they have bargained for...
The Big Book of Cyberpunk Vol. 2
by VariousVOLUME TWO OF TWOA genre-defining-and redefining-collection of fiction's boldest, most rebellious, and most prescient genre, featuring a smorgasbord of stories from across the globeIn The Big Book of Cyberpunk, award-winning anthologist Jared Shurin brings together over a hundred stories from more than twenty-five different countries. Here are tales that both establish and subvert the classic Cyberpunk tropes and aesthetic [RR1] [SN2] – from gritty, near-future noir to pulse-pounding action. Urban rebels undermine their monolithic corporate overlords, daring heists are conducted through back alleys and the darkest parts of the online world, and dangerous new technology, cybernetic enhancements, scheming AIs, corporate mercenaries, improbable weapons and roguish hackers all collide into rich, thrilling entertainment. Set across two volumes, these are stories that examine the near-now, extrapolating the most provocative trends into fascinating and plausible futures.We live in an increasingly Cyberpunk world, packed with complex technologies and globalised social trends. It is a world so bizarre that even the futurists couldn’t explain it – though many authors in this book have come closer than most. As both an introduction to the genre and the perfect compendium for the lifelong fan, The Big Book of Cyberpunk Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 offer more than a hundred ways to understand where we are, and where we’re going – or simply the opportunity to venture down dazzling, neon-slicked streets.
Alex vs Axel: The Impossible Quests (Alex vs Axel #1)
by Sam CopelandThe hilarious new fantasy adventure from the author of Charlie Changes Into a Chicken.Alex is a normal, everyday kid, living in a normal, everyday city. Axel is a monster-slaying hero, living in a world of magic. Unfortunately, when the two boys mysteriously swap places, each of them ends up being mistaken for the other.With zero experience of heroism, Alex is thrust into an epic quest to defeat the evil Felonius Gloam, who has stolen the Book of Lifetales and is using it to unravel the very fabric of the world of Aërth.Meanwhile, Axel is faced with double maths, a gran who's six months behind on the rent, and a crucial chess tournament he's got to win – when he doesn't even know how to play.Can the two boys complete their Impossible Quests and find a way back to their own lives, or will they both discover they don't have a life to come back to . . . ?
Terminal World
by Alastair ReynoldsSpearpoint, the last human city, is an atmosphere-piercing spire of vast size. Clinging to its skin are the zones, a series of semi-autonomous city-states, each of which enjoys a different - and rigidly enforced - level of technology. Horsetown is pre-industrial; in Neon Heights they have television and electric trains ...Following an infiltration mission that went tragically wrong, Quillon has been living incognito, working as a pathologist in the district morgue. But when a near-dead angel drops onto his dissecting table, Quillon's world is wrenched apart one more time, for the angel is a winged posthuman from Spearpoint's Celestial Levels - and with the dying body comes bad news.If Quillon is to save his life, he must leave his home and journey into the cold and hostile lands beyond Spearpoint's base, starting an exile that will take him further than he could ever imagine. But there is far more at stake than just Quillon's own survival, for the limiting technologies of the zones are determined not by governments or police, but by the very nature of reality - and reality itself is showing worrying signs of instability ...
A Promise of Peridot: An addictive enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance (The Sacred Stones, Book 2) (Sacred Stones)
by Kate GoldenFrom Kate Golden, author of the instant bestseller and viral phenomenon A Dawn of Onyx, comes the next seductive, sweeping, action-packed installment in her addictive Sacred Stones trilogy.A prophecy of death. A weapon of hope. A sacrifice of love.Arwen Valondale is sailing for the mysterious Kingdom of Citrine after the battle of Siren's Bay. Reeling from shocking revelations and her newfound powers, Arwen directs all of her pain and rage toward the man who betrayed her: King Kane Ravenwood.Kane's presence is unavoidable as he travels with Arwen and her friends to seek the Blade of the Sun, a legendary weapon inextricably tied to her fate and the future of the realm. Even an uneasy truce proves difficult as Arwen fights against her unresolved feelings for Kane, who is willing to become darkness itself to protect her.As Arwen faces creatures, foes, and magic beyond her wildest imaginings, she must discover the secrets of her past to defeat the monstrous Fae king Lazarus. But finding the light within might mean the death of her and everyone she loves.
A Short Walk Through a Wide World: The spellbinding book of summer 2024 for fans of The Midnight Library and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
by Douglas WesterbekeIF YOU COULD NEVER STAY, WHERE WOULD YOU GO?The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Midnight Library and Life of Pi meet in this spellbinding novel of adventure, wonder and self-discovery.Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her satchel that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she is stricken by a mysterious illness. When a visit to a doctor only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she discovers it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her incredible lifelong journey on the run from her condition. From the scorched dunes of the Calanshio Sand Sea, to the snow-packed peaks of the Himalayas; from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard, to the shelves of an infinite underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns what it takes to survive and, ultimately, to truly live. But the longer she wanders, the more she understands that the world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else’s…* As seen on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show Book Club * ‘Imagine Life of Pi...and The Midnight Library rolled into one fantastical fable’ NEW YORK TIMES ‘Gorgeous… I savoured every page of this book!’ SHELBY VAN PELT, author of Remarkably Bright Creatures
Loneliness & Company
by Charlee DyroffA timely, beautifully observed debut novel set in near future New York about a young woman who finds herself tangled in a secret Government project combating loneliness.Lee knows she's the best. A professor favorite and fellowship winner, there's no doubt she'll land one of the coveted jobs at a Big Five corporation. So when, upon graduating, Lee is instead assigned to an unknown company in the dead city of New York, her life goals are completely upended. In this new role, Lee's task is to gather enough research to train an AI how to be a friend. She begins online and by studying the social circle of her clueless, outgoing roommate Veronika. But when the company reveals it's part of a classified government mission to solve loneliness-an emotion erased from society's lexicon decades ago-Lee's determination to prove herself kicks into overdrive, and she begins chasing bolder and more dangerous experiences to provide data for the AI. How far will Lee go to teach the algorithm? As the mysterious affliction spreads, Lee must decide what she's willing to give up for success and, along the way, learn what it means to be a true friend. Loneliness & Company is an enchanting, gorgeously written novel about finding meaning and connection in a world beset by isolation.
The Things We Miss
by Leah Stecher"Magical and heartbreaking! You will read this book in one gulp." - Jennifer L. Holm, New York Times-bestselling author of The Fourteenth GoldfishWhen You Reach Me meets Starfish in this heartfelt contemporary middle grade about a misfit girl who finds a way to skip all of the hard parts of life.J.P. Green has always felt out of step. She doesn't wear the right clothes, she doesn't say the right things, and her body…well, she'd rather not talk about it. And seventh grade is shaping up to be the worst year yet. So when J.P. discovers a mysterious door in her neighbor's treehouse, she doesn't hesitate before walking through. The door sends her three days forward in time. Suddenly, J.P. can skip all the worst parts of seventh grade: Fitness tests in P.E., oral book reports, awkward conversations with her mom…she can avoid them all and no one even knows she was gone.But can you live a life without any of the bad parts? Are there experiences out there that you can't miss?This moving middle grade novel about mental health, body acceptance, and self-confidence asks what it truly means to show up for the people you love-and for yourself.
The Ministry of Time: One of the Observer's Debut Novels of 2024
by Kaliane Bradley'Fast moving and riotously entertaining, a genre-busting blend of wit and wonder'10 best new novelists for 2024, ObserverA 2024 literary highlight in the Sunday Times, BBC, Grazia, Dazed, Sunday Express, GQ, i-D, Stylist, Bookseller and Literary Friction, and an Elle Collective Book Club pick'Clever, witty and thought-provoking'KATE MOSSE, author of The Ghost Ship'Make room on your bookshelves for a new classic'MAX PORTER, author of Shy'As electric, charming, whimsical and strange as its ripped-from-history cast'EMILY HENRY, author of Happy Place'Thought-provoking and horribly clever - but it also made me laugh out loud'ALICE WINN, author of In Memoriam'Funny, moving, original, intelligent, beautifully written and with a thunderous plot'NATHAN FILER, author of The Shock of the Fall'Outrageously brilliant'ELEANOR CATTON, author of Birnam Wood 'A feast of a novel - singular, alarming and (above all) incredibly sexy'JULIA ARMFIELD, author of Our Wives Under the Sea'A weird, kind, clever, heartsick little time bomb of a book'FRANCIS SPUFFORD, author of Golden Hill'You'll want to fall in love with these characters over and over again'DIANA REID, author of Love & VirtueA BOY MEETS A GIRL. THE PAST MEETS THE FUTURE. A FINGER MEETS A TRIGGER. THE BEGINNING MEETS THE END. ENGLAND IS FOREVER. ENGLAND MUST FALL.In the near future, a disaffected civil servant is offered a lucrative job in a mysterious new government ministry gathering 'expats' from across history to test the limits of time-travel.Her role is to work as a 'bridge': living with, assisting and monitoring the expat known as '1847' - Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin's doomed expedition to the Arctic, so he's a little disoriented to find himself alive and surrounded by outlandish concepts such as 'washing machine', 'Spotify' and 'the collapse of the British Empire'. With an appetite for discovery and a seven-a-day cigarette habit, he soon adjusts; and during a long, sultry summer he and his bridge move from awkwardness to genuine friendship, to something more.But as the true shape of the project that brought them together begins to emerge, Gore and the bridge are forced to confront their past choices and imagined futures. Can love triumph over the structures and histories that have shaped them? And how do you defy history when history is living in your house?
People in Glass Houses: Harmony 17 (Harmony #11)
by Jayne CastleDive into the alien world of Harmony in this new novel by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Castle.His name is Joshua Knight. Once a respected explorer, the press now calls him the Tarnished Knight. He took the fall for a disaster in the Underworld that destroyed his career. The devastating event occurred in the newly discovered sector known as Glass House - a maze of crystal that is rumoured to conceal powerful Alien antiquities. The rest of the Hollister Expedition team disappeared and are presumed dead.Whatever happened down in the tunnels scrambled Josh's psychic senses and his memories, but he's determined to uncover the truth. Labelled delusional and paranoid, he retreats to an abandoned mansion in the desert, a house filled with mirrors. Now a recluse, Josh spends his days trying to discover the secrets in the looking glasses that cover the walls. He knows he is running out of time.Talented, ambitious crystal artist Molly Griffin is shocked to learn that the Tarnished Knight has been located. She drops everything and heads for the mansion to find Josh, confident she can help him regain control of his shattered senses. She has no choice - he is the key to finding her sister, Leona, a member of the vanished expedition team. Josh reluctantly allows her to stay one night but there are two rules: she must not go down into the basement, and she must not uncover the mirrors that have been draped.But her only hope for finding her sister is to break the rules . . .
The Sword Unbound: Book two in the Lands of the Firstborn trilogy (Lands of the Firstborn)
by Gareth HanrahanHe thought he was saving the world. That was his first mistake.Twenty years ago, Alf and his companions defeated the Dark Lord and claimed his city. Now, those few of the Nine that remain find themselves unwilling rebels, defying the authority of both the mortal lords they once served and the immortal king of the elves - the secret architect of everything they've ever known. Once lauded as a mighty hero, Alf is now labelled a traitor and hunted by the very gods he fights to bring down. As desperate rebellion blazes across the land, Alf seeks the right path through a maze of conspiracy, wielding a weapon of evil. The black sword Spellbreaker, ever hungry for slaughter, has found its purpose in these dark days. But can Aelfric remain a hero, or is his legend tarnished forever?The Sword Unbound continues Gareth Hanrahan's acclaimed epic fantasy series of dark myth, daring warriors and bloodthirsty vengeance.Praise for The Sword Defiant:'The front runner for my book of the year . . . Fans of Gemmell and Abercrombie need this on their shelves' Ed McDonald, author of Blackwing'With a richly detailed narrative, well-drawn characters, epic battles, and political and religious intrigues, Hanrahan's outstanding first outing in the Lands of the Firstborn series will thrill fantasy readers - who will anxiously await the next book'Booklist'Both a love letter and evolution of the epic fantasy novel . . . The Sword Defiant is an epic tale of how no world stands still forever . . . Highly recommended!Run Along the Shelves'Hanrahan is one of the best in the business at creating fantasy worlds that feel alive . . . I'll read any book that Gareth Hanrahan writes'The Fantasy Inn
Sweet Nightmare (Caldor)
by Tracy WolffFor Clementine, life at a deadly academy for rogue paranormals is upended when a hurricane takes aim for the school, unleashing nightmares and secrets in the gripping new spin-off to Tracy Wolff's instant No. 1 New York Times bestselling Crave series.The Calder Academy series is best enjoyed in order.Book 1 Sweet NightmareBook 2 Sweet ChaosBook 3 Sweet VengeancePraise for Tracy Wolff: 'Fandom's new favourite vampire romance obsession' Hypable'This generation's Twilight' Lynn Rush 'I'm having the BEST book hangover. Filled with danger, humour, and heart, Crave proves that vampires are definitely back!' J. Kenner'Beautifully descriptive with amazing pacing and wonderfully sinister settings' Christine Feehan...................Don't miss a single book in the series that spawned a phenomenon! Crave; Crush; Covet; Court; Charm; Cherish'Suffice it to say: I have a new book boyfriend!' Pintip Dunn'Intricately crafted, deeply romantic' Victoria Scott'Funny, smart, and compelling' Emily McKay
Pairing Up (Wild Cards)
by George R.R. MartinFor decades, George R.R. Martin – bestselling author of A Song of Ice and Fire and creator of A GAME OF THRONES – has collaborated with an ensemble of science fiction and fantasy icons to create the amazing Wild Cards universe. Tales of Love & Lust from the World of the Wild Cards An alien virus has ravaged the world. Survivors may draw an ace and receive superpowers, or the joker and become bizarrely mutated. And yet love still reigns supreme. In this fantastical collection of all-new stories• A jewel thief seduces a popular actor just so she can track down a long-lost treasure• A teenager trapped in the body of a giant snail attempts to win his love• A man discovers his purpose in life after meeting a beautiful butterfly woman.• A young hero by the name of Hero McHeroface finds solace in the arms of an astrologer hiding her own unique powers Superheroes and villains do battle over the human heart in this anthology set in the Wild Cards universe. Contributors: Kevin Andrew Murphy, Christopher Rowe, Marko Kloos, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Bradley Denton, Walton Simons, Peter Newman, Gwenda Bond, David Anthony Durham
Black Shield Maiden
by Willow Smith Jess HendelFrom Willow Smith and Jess Hendel comes a powerful and groundbreaking historical epic about an African warrior in the world of the Vikings.Lore, legend, and history tell us of the Vikings: warrior-kings on epic journeys of conquest and plunder. But the stories we know are not the only stories to tell. There is another story, one that has been lost to the mists of time: the saga of the dark queen.That saga begins with Yafeu, a defiant yet fiercely compassionate young warrior who is stolen from her home in the flourishing Ghanaian empire and taken as a slave to a distant kingdom in the North. There she is thrust into a strange, cold world of savage shield maidens, tyrannical rulers, and mysterious gods.And there she also finds something unexpected: a kindred spirit. She comes to serve Freydis, a shy princess who couldn’t be more different than the confident and self-possessed Yafeu.But they both want the same thing: to forge their own fate. Yafeu inspires Freydis to dream of a future greater than the one that the king and queen have forced upon her. And with the princess at her side, Yafeu learns to navigate this new world and grows increasingly determined to become one of the legendary shield maidens.For Yafeu may have lost her home, but she still knows who she is, and she’s not afraid to be the flame that burns a city to the ground so a new world can rise from the ashes. She will alter the course of history - and become the revolutionary heroine of her own myth.
A Queen of Thieves and Chaos (Fate & Flame #3)
by K.A. Tucker'You betrayed your brother to steal a broken crown'The kingdom stands on the brink of chaos. Atticus' grip on the realm is faltering, and as threats arise ever closer to home he is driven to increasingly desperate acts to hold onto power.With Islor's fate now in the balance, Zander stands to defend the Rift from the oncoming Ybarisan army. With the king's forces scattered, he must risk unlikely new alliances.And behind the walls of Ulysede, secrets wait for its new queen. Romeria knows that the paths of the hidden city will lead her to answers. But will they be enough to save the realm - or is their fate already sealed?The third book in the captivating Fate & Flame series
Hilo: The Great Big Boom (Hilo #3)
by Judd WinickThe third book in a brilliant series perfect for fans of laugh-out-loud adventures like Bunny vs Monkey and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.When we last saw our INTREPID TRIO, Gina had been sucked into a mysterious portal to who-knows-where.But friends don't let friends disappear into NOWHERE! It's up to D.J. and Hilo to follow her! Will there be danger? YES! Will there be amazing surprises? OF COURSE! Will Gina end up being the one to save them? DEFINITELY! With the help of Polly, the magical warrior cat, the friends will have to battle bad guys and face disgusting food, an angry mom, terrible knock-knock jokes, powerful magic, and more! Will they survive and make it back to Earth before the portal closes again?