Can they escape the end of an empire? The pathways that link the stars are collapsing faster than expected, accelerating the fall of civilization. But though the evidence is insurmountable, many are still in denial. Some even attempt to profit from the final days of this golden age. Emperox Grayland II has wrested control of the empire from her enemies. However, even as she works to save her people, others seek to topple her from the throne. Grayland and her remaining allies must use every tool at their disposal to save humanity, and themselves - yet it still may not be enough. Will Grayland achieve the impossible . . . or become the last emperox to wear the crown? Praise for the series 'Scalzi at his best, with characters who are going to stay with you' Wil Wheaton 'Provocative and unexpected' Wall Street Journal 'Scalzi has constructed a thrilling novel' Entertainment Weekly 'I cannot recommend this book enough, it's jaw-droppingly brilliant' The Bookbag

The alien world of medieval Europe lives again, transformed by the physics of the future, by a winner of the Heinlein Award Over the centuries, one small town in Germany has disappeared and never been resettled. Tom, a historian, and his theoretical physicist girlfriend Sharon, become interested. By all logic, the town should have survived. What's so special about Eifelheim? Father Dietrich is the village priest of Eifelheim, in the year 1348, when the Black Death is gathering strength but is still not nearby. Dietrich is an educated man, and to his astonishment becomes the first contact person between humanity and an alien race from a distant star, when their ship crashes in the nearby forest. It is a time of wonders, in the shadow of the plague. Flynn gives us the full richness and strangeness of medieval life, as well as some terrific aliens. Tom and Sharon, and Father Deitrich have a strange destiny of tragedy and triumph in Eifelheim, the brilliant science fiction novel by Michael Flynn.

Molly the maid is used to being invisible. Now someone is watching her every move ... ----- *THE SPARKLING NEW MYSTERY FROM THE MULTI-MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE MAID* As a hotel maid, Molly Gray wipes away fingerprints as a matter of routine. But when a priceless Fabergé egg is stolen from the Regency Grand Hotel - and she receives an ominous note threatening her life - it's clear there's more to this mystery than meets the eye. Can Molly crack the case of the missing Fabergé? Or are some secrets best left buried? ----- Join the millions of readers who have been swept away by Molly the Maid: 'Full of such charm!' ¿¿¿¿¿ 'Brilliant, captivating and engaging' ¿¿¿¿¿ '5 out of 5 stars for its charming blend of mystery and warmth' ¿¿¿¿¿ 'Great cosy crime with twists and turns that I did not expect' ¿¿¿¿¿ 'Can't recommend this enough' ¿¿¿¿¿ 'A heartwarming yet brainteasing whodunit' ¿¿¿¿¿ Nita Prose's book 'The Maid' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2023-05-01.

Space opera's sharpest mind returns to the world of the Imperial Radch in this brilliant standalone from award-winning author Ann Leckie. The Temporal Location of the Radiant Star has always been a source of both conflict and hope for the people of Ooioiaa. However, the imperial Radch see it only as an inconvenience, an antiquated religious site soon to be absorbed into their own, superior culture. But local politics is complicated, and the Radch have made one last concession: One last man will be allowed to join the mummified bodies in the temporal location to become a "living saint". But this one decision will ripple out to affect every part of the city. Amidst a slowly worsening food shortage, riots, and a communication blackout from the rest of the Radch Empire, a religious savant will entertain visions of his own sainthood, a socialite will discover zer comfortable life upended, and a young man sold into servitude will find unlikely escape.

'An enchanting new twist on a classic tale' Elodie Harper When the snow falls, she will be free... The invitations always arrive the same way - without warning, appearing around the city on the first snowfall of the year, simply inscribed with 'Tonight.' When struggling artist, Forster, finds an invitation, he's bewitched by the magic of the evening, swept up in the glamour of this notorious annual party and intrigued as to who is behind them. Determined to find out more about the mysterious host, Forster discovers an abandoned manor house silent with secrets and a cursed woman who is desperate to be free... From the bestselling author of Midnight in Everwood, comes another spellbinding literary fairy tale that's The Great Gatsby meets Swan Lake. Tropes: ¿ Finding the magic of Christmas ¿¿ True love ¿¿ Festive fun! Readers LOVE Upon A Frosted Star 'A delightful dark fairy tale' ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ 'Perfect for snuggling up in the winter evenings' ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ 'A brilliant read' ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ 'Enchanted me' ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

Play hide-and-seek with every toddler's favourite teacher and rock star to the under 4's Ms Rachel, in this fun-filled, lift-the-flap book. Join the fun and help Ms Rachel search for her friend Herbie as they play a wonderful game of hide-and-seek! Can you count to five while Herbie hides? Now see if you can find him! Is he behind the green plant? Or under the purple chair? Little ones will love lifting the six flaps and turning the pages as they search for Herbie. With colourful and bright illustrations and lots of surprises along the way, this interactive board book is perfect for reading fun with little ones. Don't miss these other brilliant books by Ms Rachel: Ms Rachel and the Special Surprise My First Colouring Book Potty Time with Bean 100 First Words Frankie's Train Day A Day on the Farm Ms Rachel and Bean and the Bedtime Routine

Can they escape the end of an empire? The pathways that link the stars are collapsing faster than expected, accelerating the fall of civilization. But though the evidence is insurmountable, many are still in denial. Some even attempt to profit from the final days of this golden age. Emperox Grayland II has wrested control of the empire from her enemies. However, even as she works to save her people, others seek to topple her from the throne. Grayland and her remaining allies must use every tool at their disposal to save humanity, and themselves - yet it still may not be enough. Will Grayland achieve the impossible . . . or become the last emperox to wear the crown? Praise for the series 'Scalzi at his best, with characters who are going to stay with you' Wil Wheaton 'Provocative and unexpected' Wall Street Journal 'Scalzi has constructed a thrilling novel' Entertainment Weekly 'I cannot recommend this book enough, it's jaw-droppingly brilliant' The Bookbag

DON'T MISS THE ORIGINAL STREAMING SERIES WE WERE LIARS-AND LOOK FOR E. LOCKHART'S NEW NOVEL IN THE WE WERE LIARS UNIVERSE, WE FELL APART, OUT NOW! #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER The modern, sophisticated suspense novel that became a runaway smash hit on TikTok and introduced the world to a family hiding a jaw-dropping secret. "Thrilling, beautiful, and blisteringly smart, We Were Liars is utterly unforgettable." -John Green, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends-the Liars-whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret. Lies upon lies. True love. The truth. Read it. And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE. Don't miss any of the We Were Liars novels WE WERE LIARS FAMILY OF LIARS WE FELL APART

With a cast of wonderful sea creatures – including a magical mermaid – and plenty of seaside fun, this brilliant rhyming adventure is perfect for listening to in the car, at home, at bedtime – or at any time at all!The clever little ladybird is off on a trip to the seaside, but those two bad men, Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len, are also back and they're up to their wicked ways again. This time they're planning to steal the mermaid's long, luscious hair and sell it to a famous star . . . luckily, the crime-busting ladybird has another cunning plan to stop the thieves!What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside is a fantastically funny rhyming adventure from the stellar picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks. This audio edition is read by Alexander Armstrong and includes a read-along track – perfect for listening to together.Enjoy other What the Ladybird Heard adventures: What the Ladybird Heard, What the Ladybird Heard Next and What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday.

Der herausragende literarische Klassiker, der Irmgard Keun 1932 zum Literaturstar und eine der wichtigsten deutschsprachigen Autorinnen des 20. Jahrhunderts machte: fesselnd, eindringlich, zeitkritisch und humorvoll! »Irmgard Keun war die erfolgreichste deutsche Autorin der dreißiger Jahre, und die Lektüre lohnt noch heute.« Thomas Karlauf, FAZ »Ich will ein Glanz werden« Doris, das kunstseidene Mädchen, ist Sekretärin bei einem zudringlichen Rechtsanwalt. Sie will nicht mehr tagein, tagaus Briefe tippen, sondern ein Star werden, will die große Welt erobern. Die große Welt, das ist für die Achtzehnjährige Berlin. Dort stürzt sie sich in das Leben der Tanzhallen, Bars und Literatencafés, lässt sich in vornehme Lokale einladen, goutiert die »gute Gesellschaft«– und bleibt doch allein. Ihre Affären mit Männern aus »besseren Kreisen« sind kurzlebig, die erträumte Karriere bleibt eine Illusion. Doch Doris weiß sich zu trösten ...   Irmgard Keun hat Doris' kunstseidene Abenteuer »naiv und brilliant, witzig und verzweifelt, volkstümlich und feurig« beschrieben (Hermann Kesten). Bunte Unterhaltung in Verbindung mit satirischer Zeitkritik – eine seltene Einheit und ein wahrer Klassiker der Literatur. »Ich bin so begeistert von der Sprache dieser Autorin, dass ich beim Lesen immer schwanke zwischen Faszination und Neid. Sie hat Menschen und Zeiten beschrieben, die zugleich weit weg sind und denen ich mich trotzdem eigentümlich nah fühle. Ja, so gut wie sie würde ich gern schreiben können.« Christian Baron *** Diesen Klassiker muss man gelesen haben! ***

Space opera's sharpest mind returns to the world of the Imperial Radch in this brilliant standalone from award-winning author Ann Leckie. The Temporal Location of the Radiant Star has always been a source of both conflict and hope for the people of Ooioiaa. However, the imperial Radch see it only as an inconvenience, an antiquated religious site soon to be absorbed into their own, superior culture. But local politics is complicated, and the Radch have made one last concession: One last man will be allowed to join the mummified bodies in the temporal location to become a "living saint". But this one decision will ripple out to affect every part of the city. Amidst a slowly worsening food shortage, riots, and a communication blackout from the rest of the Radch Empire, a religious savant will entertain visions of his own sainthood, a socialite will discover zer comfortable life upended, and a young man sold into servitude will find unlikely escape.

She's out of retirement – and out for revenge! When Georgina Garrett wakes in the night to find intruders in her house, she knows she must do everything she can to keep her children safe. But just when she thinks the ordeal is over, she realises something is terribly wrong. She arrives at her crime-lord husband David Maynard's London house to find a bloodbath. Six of David's best men lie dead and he is nowhere to be found. Georgina may have walked away from the game but she's still the best player on the street. Now, she will stop at nothing to get her husband back and to make whoever took him pay for ever daring to set foot in her town. 'Terrific – read it and be hooked!' - bestselling author Jessie Keane 'Fast moving, gritty and not for the faint hearted' 'This is a BRILLIANT book and Sam's fans will love it. Worthy of more than 5 stars!'

A brilliant collection of bestselling stories from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, read aloud by stars Imelda Staunton, Jim Carter and Steven Pacey – perfect for listening to at home, in the car, at bedtime or any time at all!Go 'Grrrr . . .' with the Gruffalo, sing along with the Smartest Giant, help Monkey search for his mum and see if the little old lady can make some room in her house! The Gruffalo and Other Stories is brilliantly performed by well-known actors Imelda Staunton, Jim Carter and Steven Pacey, as well as by the author herself, Julia Donaldson. Each story also has a song and sound effects, with a total running time of an hour.Perfect for listening to at home or to brighten up a car journey with the much-loved creations of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. This fantastic collection includes four stories: The Gruffalo, A Squash and a Squeeze, The Smartest Giant in Town and Monkey Puzzle.

The new novel from a literary star - brilliant and deeply relatable. 'There are few writers who can match Oyeyemi's creative glee.' GUARDIAN 'One of the best writers alive today.' STYLIST Kinga is a woman who is just trying to make it through the week. There's a Kinga for every day: on Mondays, you can catch Kinga A deleting food delivery apps. By Friday, Kinga E is happy to spend the days soaking, wine-drunk, in the bath. Kingas A-G, perhaps unsurprisingly, live a varied life - between them is a professional matchmaker, a scent-crazed perfumer and a window cleaner, all with varying degrees of apathy, anger, introversion and bossiness. At least three of them are Team Toxic. It's an arrangement that's not without its fair share of admin, grudges and half-truths. But when Kinga A discovers a man tied up in their apartment, the Kingas have to reckon with the possibility that one of them might be planning to destroy them all.

'I am obsessed with Emma's writing! Five million stars!' Laura Thalassa, USA Today bestseller 'Deliciously dark' Zoey Draven, USA Today bestselling author 'Brilliant and breathtaking!' Juliette Cross, New York Times bestseller 'Your next romantasy obsession' Melissa K. Roehrich The Deathless One is back. Her coven is growing. It is time to save her people. Jessamine never expected to stand with the Deathless One - let alone be in love with him. But now that Elric has returned to his corporeal form and Jessamine has joined the coven of witches that sustains his power, the pair are stronger than ever. Yet the realm is still in turmoil. Jessamine and Elric must prepare their witches to meet the kingdom's forces in battle, before the man who has usurped her throne learns how to harness the power of Elric's fellow gods. The war for good is never black and white. As the lines between right and wrong blur, can Jessamine accept that to fight for her kingdom, she might have to go against it?

*A Book of the Year in The Times, Guardian, Good Housekeeping and iPaper* Winner of the CWA KAA Gold Dagger Award 'Taut, elegant and heartbreaking' Monica Ali 'A brilliant character study of trauma, grief and survival' Claire Fuller 'Wonderful... lives up to the hype' Stephen King 'Impossibly accomplished' Chris Whitaker _________________________ Isabel and Edward meet as teenagers. When she tells him she loves him, it feels like the bravest thing she's ever done. But years later, a stranger walks into their home and tears their world apart. This is where their story really begins. *Readers Love THE DEATH OF US* 'Exceptional ... 5 stars isn't enough'¿¿¿¿¿ 'This is the best book I have read in as long as I can remember'¿¿¿¿¿ 'I've cried actual tears ... God. Just stunning'¿¿¿¿¿ 'Shocking, moving and really unforgettable'¿¿¿¿¿ 'Beautifully written and truly a masterpiece'¿¿¿¿¿ 'This was incredible. A truly magnificent read'¿¿¿¿¿ 'This kept me hooked for 2 days straight and I could not stop reading it'¿¿¿¿¿

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND WATERSTONES THRILLER OF THE MONTH... NOW IN DEVELOPMENT FOR TV! 'Chilling and perfectly paced, one to put on the very top of your TBR!' Sarah Pearse 'Thriller fans will be in heaven' Louise Candlish MY CHILD HAS BEEN TAKEN. AND I'VE BEEN GIVEN A CHOICE . . . KILL A PATIENT ON THE OPERATING TABLE OR LOSE MY SON FOREVER. The man lies on the table in front of me. As a surgeon, it's my job to save him. As a mother, I know I must kill him. You might think that I'm a monster. But there really is only one choice. I must get away with murder. Or I will never see my son again. I'VE SAVED MANY LIVES. WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS? Five star reader reviews: 'Absolutely phenomenal' 'Kept me hooked from the very start!' 'Believe me, you'll not want to put this down' 'Everything about Do No Harm was absolutely brilliant' 'So full of tension and twists!'

As the New Republic takes devastating losses in the ongoingwar with the scattered remnants of the Empire, the galaxy's future depends on three small children -- among them the Jedi twins -- born to incredible powers and perils, as an extraordinary new saga unfolds... While the New Republic struggles to decide what to do with the deadly Sun Crusher -- a new doomsday weapon stolen from the Empire by Han Solo -- the renegade Imperial Admiral Daala uses her fleet of Star Destroyers to conduct guerrilla warfare on peaceful planets. And now she threatens the watery homeworld of Admiral Ackbar. But as the battle for a planet rages, an even greater danger emerges at Luke Skywalker's Jedi academy. A brilliant student delves dangerously into the dark side of the Force and unleashes the spirit of an ancient master of the evil order that warped Darth Vader himself. Working together, they may become an enemy greater than the New Republic has ever fought... more powerful than even a Jedi Master can face.

A rallying, celebratory essay about Sylvia Plath, Taylor Swift and unbridled female ambition by the beloved author of Bluets and The Argonauts In The Slicks, Maggie Nelson positions culture-dominating pop superstar Taylor Swift and feminist cult icon Sylvia Plath as twin hosts of the female urge towards wanting hard, working hard and pouring forth - and as twinned targets of patriarchy's ancient urge to disparage, trivialise and demonise such prolific, intimate output. A heady and rallying melding of popular culture and literary criticism, The Slicks is an inspired and unexpected assessment of two iconic female artists by one of the most revered and influential critics of her generation. PRAISE FOR MAGGIE NELSON: ' Her words come as though from a great distance and strike incredibly close' Anne Enright 'Among the sharpest and most supple thinkers of her generation' Olivia Laing 'Always brilliant' Geoff Dyer 'One of the most unique voices in non-fiction: enquiring, political, lyrically dazzling, empathetic' Sinéad Gleeson

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND WATERSTONES THRILLER OF THE MONTH... NOW IN DEVELOPMENT FOR TV! 'Chilling and perfectly paced, one to put on the very top of your TBR!' Sarah Pearse 'Thriller fans will be in heaven' Louise Candlish MY CHILD HAS BEEN TAKEN. AND I'VE BEEN GIVEN A CHOICE . . . KILL A PATIENT ON THE OPERATING TABLE OR LOSE MY SON FOREVER. The man lies on the table in front of me. As a surgeon, it's my job to save him. As a mother, I know I must kill him. You might think that I'm a monster. But there really is only one choice. I must get away with murder. Or I will never see my son again. I'VE SAVED MANY LIVES. WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS? Five star reader reviews: 'Absolutely phenomenal' 'Kept me hooked from the very start!' 'Believe me, you'll not want to put this down' 'Everything about Do No Harm was absolutely brilliant' 'So full of tension and twists!'