Products
The Agathas, Kathleen Glasgow ( paperback May 2022)
£8.99
The most popular girl in school is dead. And everyone's blaming the wrong guy. After falling from grace last summer, Agatha Christie-obsessed Alice Ogilvie needs to stay out of trouble.While smart and reclusive Iris Adams just wants to get the hell out of Castle Cove. But now they have a murder to solve. There are clues the police are ignoring, a list of suspects a mile long and some very dangerous cliffs.
Amateur detectives Alice and Iris are about to uncover just how many secrets their sleepy seaside town is hiding... 'Part Agatha Christie, part Veronica Mars, and completely entertaining.' Karen M. McManus, author of One Of Us Is Lying
The amazing world of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler ( hardback Oct 2024)
£25.00
This lavishly illustrated visual guide is a celebration of the iconic creative partnership between Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. A stunning gift book, it is packed full of behind-the-scenes information, fun facts and never-before-seen illustrations from their many bestselling stories. Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler have been making picture book magic for over thirty years, creating some of the world’s best-loved picture books, including The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Stick Man and Zog.
Find out more about their early lives, explore how their creative partnership began, and dive deeper inside the wonderful worlds of all your favourite characters and stories. Packed with full-colour illustrations, sketches and photographs, The Amazing World of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler is a must-have gift for fans of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. This gorgeous hardback edition is perfect for all the family to enjoy together.
The Amendments, Niamh Mulvey, paperback March 2025
£9.99
Delving into the lives of three generations of women, The Amendments by Niamh Mulvey is an extraordinary novel about love and freedom, belonging and rebellion – and about how our past is a vital presence which sits alongside us. Nell and her partner Adrienne are about to have a baby.
For Adrienne, it’s the start of a new life. For Nell, it’s the reason the two of them are sitting in a therapist’s office. Because she can’t go into this without dealing with the truth: that she has been a mother before, and now she can hardly bring herself to speak to her own mother, let alone return home to Ireland.
Nell is running out of places to hide from her past. But to Ireland and the past is where she must go, and that is where The Amendments takes us: to the heat of Nell’s teenage years in the early 2000s, as Ireland was unpicking itself from its faith and embracing the hedonism of the Celtic Tiger. To 1983, when Nell’s mother Dolores was grappling with the tensions of the women’s rights movement.
And then to the farms and suburbs and towns that made and unmade the lives at the centre of this story, bound together by the terrible secret that Nell still cannot face.
The Analog Sea Review ( 4 EDITIONS)
£20.50
The Analog Sea Review is a small (18cm x 11.5cm) literary journal published between offices in Texas in the US and Freiburg, Germany. Around these poles this award-winning and universally praised journal aims to represent a community of writers and artists 'wishing to maintain contemplative life in the digital age.
Yes, this is a true print enterprise located firmly in offline culture – we had to write a letter to the publisher to secure our first copies! And we're glad we did, because this pocket collection of ingeniously interlinked essays, interviews, stories, and images is indeed a tonic for anyone seeking shelter from the multi-channel bombast that feels institutional to 21st century daily life.
The Ancient Guide to Modern Life, Natalie Haynes ( 2012, paperback)
£10.99
It's time for us to re-examine the past. Our lives are infinitely richer if we take the time to look at what the Greeks and Romans have given us in politics and law, religion and philosophy and education, and to learn how people really lived in Athens, Rome, Sparta and Alexandria. This is a book with a serious point to make but the author isn't simply a classicist but a comedian and broadcaster who has made television and radio documentaries about humour, education and Dorothy Parker.This is a book for us all. Whether political, cultural or social, there are endless parallels between the ancient and modern worlds. Whether it's the murder of Caesar or the political assassination of Thatcher; the narrative arc of the hit HBO series The Wire or that of Oedipus; the popular enthusiasm for the Emperor Titus or President Obama - over and over again we can be seen to be living very much like people did 2,000 or more years ago.
The Anniversary, Stephanie Bishop ( paperback May 2024)
£9.99
Novelist J.B. Blackwood is on a cruise with her husband, Patrick, to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Patrick is older than J.B., a revered film director and formerly her professor.
J.B's art has been forever overseen by him, now it may overshadow his. For days they sail in the sun, with nothing but dark water all around them. Then a storm hits, and Patrick falls off the ship.
J.B. is left alone, as the search for what happened to Patrick - and the truth about their marriage - begins.
'Dangerously readable' Observer
The Anomaly, Herve LeTellier ( paperback August 2022)
£9.99
The mind-bending thriller that has sold 1 million copies
No one knows how it happened.
But it'll change their lives forever... During a terrifying storm, Air France flight 006 - inexplicably - duplicates. For every passenger, there are now two: a double with the same mind, body and memories.
Only one thing sets them apart - while one plane lands in March, the other doesn't arrive until June. But if there are two of them, which one will get to keep the life they've built?As they prepare to meet, they must decide just how far they'll go to fight for what's theirs . .
Just when you think you've worked it out . .
. well, you probably haven't' DAILY MAIL'Mind-bending. Written with page-turning conviction' THE TIMES
The Art of Living, Thich Nhat Hanh ( paperback)
£13.99
Nobel Peace Prize nominee, internationally renowned Zen master and bestselling author Thich Nhat Hanh shares his mindful techniques in mastering the art of living. 'Thich Nhat Hanh is a holy man, for he is humble and devout...a scholar of immense intellectual capacity' -- Martin Luther King
Master the art of living from one of the world's most revered spiritual leaders. Thich Nhat Hanh, the world's most renowned Zen master, turns his mindful attention to the most important subject of all - the art of living.
The bestselling author of The Miracle of Mindfulness presents, for the first time, seven transformative meditations that open up new perspectives on our lives, our relationships and our interconnectedness with the world around us. He reveals an art of living in mindfulness that helps us answer life's deepest questions, experience the happiness and freedom we desire and face ageing and dying with curiosity and joy instead of fear. Stimulating and inspiring, this book teaches us the importance of looking inside ourselves and developing compassion, before we can turn to our relationships at home and in the wider world.
Full of remarkable stories from Thich Nhat Hanh's own experiences and mindful practices for engaging with life, this will be a book that will help us generate happiness, understanding and love so we can live deeply in each moment of our life, right where we are.
The Art of the Glimpse (hardback, October 2020)
£25.00
An anthology of the very best Irish short stories, selected by Sinead Gleeson, author of Constellations. There have been many anthologies of the short story as it developed in Ireland, but never a collection like this. The Art of the Glimpse is a radical revision of the canon of the Irish story, uniting classic works with neglected writers and marginalised voices - women, LGBT writers, Traveller folk-tales, lost 19th-century voices and the first wave of 'new Irish' writers from elsewhere now making a life in Ireland.
Beautifully bound, with ribbon marker.
The collection paints a tremendous spectrum of experience: the story of a prank come good by Bram Stoker; Sally Rooney on the love languages of the new generation; Donal Ryan on the pains of ageing; Edna O'Brien on political entanglements; James Joyce on losing a loved one; and the internal monologue of a coma sufferer by Marian Keyes. List of contributing authors: Samuel Beckett, Sally Rooney, Melatu Uche Okirie, William Trevor, Marian Keyes, Kevin Barry, Edna O'Brien, Claire-Louise Bennett, Sheridan Le Fanu, Danielle McLaughlin, Mairtin O Cathain, Frances Molloy, Blindboy Boatclub, Elizabeth Bowen, Frank O'Connor, Chiamaka Emyi-Amadi, John McGahern, Anne Enright, Mike McCormack, Maeve Brennan, Oein de Bhairduin, Eimear McBride, Sean O Faolain, Cathy Sweeney.
Only a Few copies left as of Feb 2025
The Art of Winning, Dan Carter (paperback from July 2024)
£22.00
The Art of Winning : Ten Lessons in Leadership, Purpose and Potential
Ten timeless truths on leadership, purpose and potential - from the unique culture of the All Blacks, and the mind of a living legend. You might think success at the highest level insulates you from self-doubt. But nothing could be further from the truth.
In this book, I take you inside a journey that has forced me to look inwardly in a way I've never had to before. It's been challenging, frustrating, rewarding and left me full of gratitude. Whether you're a leader on a steep learning curve, a person navigating change in their life or just someone of any age trying to get that little bit better every day, I hope that my experience can spur you on to greater heights.
For the first time, sporting legend Dan Carter distils his two decades at the frontiers of high-performance into his 'perfect ten' lessons. You won't find conventional wisdom here, but hard-learned truths, including:- Why great leaders are made, not born, and why they must constantly evolve- How to forge a winning team culture- Why embracing your past can be every bit as important as looking towards your future- Why empowering others leads to the best decisions- Why confidence and self-belief are nothing without humility and a beginner's mindsetHonest, surprising and inspiring, The Art of Winning converts a legendary career into timeless lessons for readers in any walk of life. Step inside the unique culture of the All Blacks - and inside the mind of a legend.
The Artist, Ed Vere ( paperback April 2023)
£7.99
From the award-winning Ed Vere comes a joyful and inspirational celebration of beauty, mistakes and the artist in all of us One brave little artist goes on one epic adventure to share her art, and in doing so learns that it doesn't matter if you colour outside the lines, that art is full of heart... and that maybe you are an artist too!What is an artist?Someone who sees beauty... Someone with a mind full of colours, feelings, and ideas...Framed by a glowing palette of burnt yellows and oranges, and infused with humour and warmth, this thought provoking fable celebrates courage, individuality and the power of words." The Bookseller
The Artist, Lucy Steeds ( hardback Jan 2025)
£16.99
PROVENCE, 1920 ; Ettie moves through the remote farmhouse, silently creating the conditions that make her uncle's artistic genius possible. Joseph, an aspiring journalist, has been invited to the house.
He believes he'll make his name by interviewing the reclusive painter, the great Edouard Tartuffe. But everyone has their secrets. And, under the cover of darkness, Ettie has spent years cultivating hers. Over this sweltering summer, everyone's true colours will be revealed. Because Ettie is ready to be seen. Even if it means setting her world on fire.
Steeped in the heat and atmosphere of 1920s Provence, this novel brims with intrigue, hope and yearning' Elizabeth Macneal, author of The Doll Factory
Dextrous and powerful . . .a hugely accomplished portrait of ambition and self-fulfilment' Guardian
The Asparagus Bunch, Jessica Scott-Whyte ( paperback July 2022)
£7.99
A fresh and irreverent comedy starring a cast of neurodiverse characters - guaranteed to be one of the funniest novels you'll read this year. Leon John Crothers is 4779 days old (thirteen years and one month, if you're mathematically challenged). He has been 'moved on' from six different schools and most people think he has an attitude problem.Leon doesn't care for the label, in the same way that he doesn't care for Tim Burton, supermarket trolleys, train fanatics or Bounty bars. This time, however, things may turn out differently, as help comes from where he least expects it - Dr Snot, a physician at pains to help Leon navigate 'normal' and classmates, Tanya and Lawrence, who both face their own challenges. When school bully Glen Jenkins humiliates Leon in the school canteen and almost destroys Lawrence, Leon very reluctantly agrees to the formation of a club, The Asparagus Bunch.
How Leon manages to navigate school woes and family drama - and astonishingly ends up with not one but two friends - is nothing short of a miracle, or maybe just simply down to being different. Shortlisted for the AN Post Irish Book Awards 2022 Shortlisted for the Juniper Book Awards 2023
The Baddies, Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler ( paperback Sept 2023)
£7.99
The brand-new picture book from superstar author and illustrator Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler is a riot of slapstick fun and silliness. The Baddies are the meanest, nastiest ghost, witch and troll in the land. They just adore being bad, and fight over who is the worst.When a little girl moves into a nearby cottage, the Baddies can't wait to scare her out of her wits. But the little girl quickly shows them that you don't have to be big to be brave, and baddies don't always win. Perfect read-aloud rhyming text and stunning pictures on every page with lots of details to spot.
The Battle for Perfect ( 3) Helena Duggan ( paperback 2019)
£7.99
Who is the evil genius plotting revenge in the town that used to be Perfect? Things are quiet in the town that used to be Perfect until Violet receives a strange note and she catches Tom sneaking about. When Violet and Boy follow Tom they uncover a lot more trouble brewing. Town is about to be taken over by a huge zombie army.Can Violet and Boy save themselves and their friends? It's a matter of life or death! A reissue of the highly charged finale to the bestselling series that began with A Place Called Perfect. Fans of Roald Dahl, Neil Gaiman and Tim Burton will love this quirky, creepy and unforgettable adventure series.
The BBC National Short Story 2024 : Shortlisted Authors
£8.99
Established in 2005, the BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University was originally established to highlight a literary genre regarded as undervalued and under threat. It aimed to recognise and celebrate the very best writers of short fiction who had no prize equivalent to major literary awards like the Man Booker Prize. 19 years on, the short story is in robust health and the BBC National Short Story Award is recognised as the most prestigious for a single short story with the winning writer receiving £15,000 and the four shortlisted writers £600 each.
This year's winner was Ross Raisin, with his contemporary chilling tale of working zero hours contract work with a diverse workforce and not a lot of friendship. Very moving!
The Bed Book, Sylvia Plath (paperback Jan 2025)
£7.99
From Pulitzer Prize-winning Sylvia Plath, this is the perfect bedtime read, written for her own children, exquisitely illustrated by Cindy Wume in picture book form for the first time. A Tank Bed's got cranksAnd wheels and cogsAnd levers to pullIf you're stuck in bogs. Or a Jet-Propelled Bed For visiting Mars With mosquito nets For the shooting stars.
Beds come in all shapes and sizes, and need not be boring beds at all . . .
There are submarine beds, for nosing through water like a sardine, beds for fishing, and jet-propelled beds that take you all the way to the stars. The perfect bedtime read, playful and comforting, the poem demonstrates Plath's eye for imagery and arresting language and is exquisitely illustrated in full colour throughout.
The Bee Sting - Paul Murray ( paperback May 2024)
£9.99
The Barnes family are in trouble. Until recently they ran the biggest business in town, now they’re teetering on the brink of bankruptcy – and that’s just the start of their problems. Dickie and Imelda’s marriage is hanging by a thread; straight-A student Cass is careening off the rails; PJ is hopelessly in debt to the school bully. Meanwhile the ghosts of old mistakes are rising out of the past to meet them, but everyone’s too wrapped up in the present to see the danger looming .
WINNER OF THE NERO BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION 2023 - WINNER OF AN POST IRISH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 - SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023 - SHORTLISTED FOR THE WRITERS’ PRIZE FOR FICTION 2024
As if all these accolades weren't enough, can I just add I really liked it too!
The Bell Jar, Illustrated Edition, Sylvia Plath ( hardback Oct 2022)
£14.99
I felt very still and empty, the way the eye of a tornado must feel, moving dully along in the middle of the surrounding hullabaloo. Sylvia Plath's groundbreaking semi-autobiographical novel offers an intimate, honest and often wrenching glimpse into mental illness. The Bell Jar broke the boundaries between fiction and reality and helped cement Sylvia Plath's place as an enduring feminist icon.Celebrated for its darkly humorous, razor sharp portrait of 1950s society, it continues to resonate with readers today as testament to the universal human struggle to claim one's rightful place in the world. A special illustrated edition - the second book in our collection of illustrated Faber classics.
The Best of Me, David Sedaris (, pb Oct 2021)
£9.99
What could be a more tempting gift than a compendium of David Sedaris's best stories, selected by the author himself? From a spectacular career spanning almost three decades, these stories have become modern classics and are now for the first time collected in one volume. For more than twenty-five years, David Sedaris has been carving out a unique literary space, virtually creating his own genre. A Sedaris story may seem confessional, but is also highly attuned to the world outside.
It opens our eyes to what is at absurd and moving about our daily existence. And it is almost impossible to read without laughing. Now, for the first time collected in one volume, the author brings us his funniest and most memorable work.
The Biggest Ideas In The Universe, Sean Carroll (paperback August 2023)
£10.99
Book 1 : Space, Time and Motion
Knowledge is power... A landmark new series from a prize-winning scientist and communicator.In this major trilogy, Sean Carroll opens up the world of physics and shows that you don't necessarily need a science degree to gain a deeper insight into the workings of the universe. Starting with the ideas that revolutionised our view of nature, Space, Time and Motion poses deep questions about the cosmos, guiding us through classical physics from Euclid and Galileo to Newton and Einstein.
Carroll investigates how a twin could be seven years older than her brother, and demonstrates why it's easier than you might think for a drifting astronaut to get back to the safety of the space station. These are the laws of physics as you've never understood them before.
The Bilingual Brain : by Albert Costa ( paperback )
£10.99
... And what it tells us about the Science of Language
This engaging book explores just how multiple languages are acquired and sorted out by the brain. . .
The definitive study of bilingualism and the human brain from a leading neuropsychologist
Over half of the world's population is bilingual and yet few of us understand how this extraordinary, complex ability really works. How do two languages co-exist in the same brain? What are the advantages and challenges of being bilingual? How do we learn - and forget - a language? In the first study of its kind, leading expert Albert Costa shares twenty years of experience to explore the science of language. Looking at studies and examples from Canada to France to South Korea, The Bilingual Brain investigates the significant impact of bilingualism on daily life from infancy to old age.
It reveals, among other things, how babies differentiate between two languages just hours after birth, how accent affects the way in which we perceive others and even why bilinguals are better at conflict resolution. Drawing on cutting-edge neuro-linguistic research from his own laboratory in Barcelona as well from centres across the world, and his own bilingual family, Costa offers an absorbing examination of the intricacies and impact of an extraordinary skill. Highly engaging and hugely informative,The Bilingual Brain leaves us all with a sense of wonder at how language works.
The Black Dreams : Strange Stories from Northern Ireland, Ian Sansom
£14.99
I don't recall if I saw my first gunman in my childhood nightmares or on my childhood streets. There were plenty in both and they looked very much like each other. So begins Reggie Chamberlain-King's introduction to The Black Dreams, a thrilling and compelling collection of specially commissioned stories that explore the emotional geography of growing up and living in Northern Ireland.The fourteen stories gathered here criss-cross coast, border and city as they map a 'strange' territory of in-between states and unstable realities in which understanding is unreliable. Obsessions, death and rebirth, violence, sexuality, retribution and apocalypse are all part of the rich fabric of The Black Dreams. Bringing together some of Northern Ireland's finest writers, along with some of the best new talents, The Black Dreams celebrates and extends the rich tradition of the weird, surreal and dream-like in Northern Irish writing.
It is also a powerful act of imagining and storytelling - a vibrant, vivid and exhilarating exploration of a world we cannot, or choose not, to see. Contributors: Jo Baker, Jan Carson, Reggie Chamberlain-King, Aislinn Clarke, Emma Devlin, Moyra Donaldson, Michelle Gallen, Carlo Gebler, John Patrick Higgins, Ian McDonald, Gerard McKeown, Bernie McGill, Ian Sansom, Sam Thompson
The Blackbird's Song & Other Wonders of Nature : A year-round guide to connecting with the natural world by Miles Richardson
£14.99
A wonderful "rough guide" to the planet we live on... Read it and pass it on as a gift of love from you to those around you so they can learn to feel comfortable in their own skins and ultimately, be happy.' - Sir Tim Smit, The Eden Project
An almanac, focused on reconnecting with the great outdoors for the benefit of both us and nature. Each month in The Blackbird's Song, Miles Richardson delves into the science and mythology behind our relationship with nature, exploring everything from our kinship with plants to the way in which nature influences our moods.
Along the way, he offers a range of activities to help us access the benefits of the natural world. Whether it be 'joy-watching' birds, rediscovering wonder, foraging for Christmas crafts or going on an urban safari, this book contains all the tools and inspiration you need to unlock the transformative power of nature and find real meaning in your life.
The Bleeding, Johana Gustawsson ( paperback August 2023)
£9.99
Queen of French Noir, Johana Gustawsson returns with a spell-binding, dazzlingly dark gothic thriller that swings from Belle Epoque France to 21st-century Quebec, with an extraordinary mystery at its heart... FIRST in a spell-binding new series 'A wonderfully dark, intricately woven historical thriller spanning three generations ... it will have you hooked from the very first page' B A Paris
Gustawsson slowly weaves together three seemingly disparate strands of her narrative with a skill that shows why she is such an admired crime writer in her native France.
1899, Belle Epoque Paris. Lucienne's two daughters are believed dead when her mansion burns to the ground, but she is certain that her girls are still alive and embarks on a journey into the depths of the spiritualist community to find them. 1949, Post-War Quebec.
Teenager Lina's father has died in the French Resistance, and as she struggles to fit in at school, her mother introduces her to an elderly woman at the asylum where she works, changing Lina's life in the darkest way imaginable. 2002, Quebec. A former schoolteacher is accused of brutally stabbing her husband - a famous university professor - to death.
Detective Maxine Grant, who has recently lost her own husband and is parenting a teenager and a new baby single-handedly, takes on the investigation. Under enormous personal pressure, Maxine makes a series of macabre discoveries that link directly to historical cases involving black magic and murder, secret societies and spiritism ... and women at breaking point, who will stop at nothing to protect the ones they love...
The Bleeding, Johana Gutawsson ( paperback July 2023)
£9.99
Queen of French Noir, Johana Gustawsson returns with a spell-binding, dazzlingly dark gothic thriller that swings from Belle Epoque France to 21st-century Quebec, with an extraordinary mystery at its heart .
1899, Belle Epoque Paris. Lucienne's two daughters are believed dead when her mansion burns to the ground, but she is certain that her girls are still alive and embarks on a journey into the depths of the spiritualist community to find them. 1949, Post-War Quebec.
Teenager Lina's father has died in the French Resistance, and as she struggles to fit in at school, her mother introduces her to an elderly woman at the asylum where she works, changing Lina's life in the darkest way imaginable. 2002, Quebec. A former schoolteacher is accused of brutally stabbing her husband - a famous university professor - to death.
Detective Maxine Grant, who has recently lost her own husband and is parenting a teenager and a new baby single-handedly, takes on the investigation. Under enormous personal pressure, Maxine makes a series of macabre discoveries that link directly to historical cases involving black magic and murder, secret societies and spiritism ... and women at breaking point, who will stop at nothing to protect the ones they love...
The Blue Book of Nebo, by Manon Steffan Ros ( paperback Jan 2022)
£8.99
In JUNE 2023 this book won the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing - the first book in translation to win this prestigious award ( originally in Welsh)
Dylan was six when The End came, back in 2018; when the electricity went off for good, and the 'normal' 21st century world he knew disappeared. Now he's 14 and he and his mam have survived in their isolated hilltop house above the village of Nebo in north-west Wales, learning new skills, and returning to old ways of living. Despite their close understanding, the relationship between mother and son changes subtly as Dylan must take on adult responsibilities.
And they each have their own secrets, which emerge as, in turn, they jot down their thoughts and memories in a found notebook - the Blue Book of Nebo. In this prize-winning novel, Manon Steffan Ros not only explores the human capacity to find new strengths when faced with the need to survive, but also questions the structures and norms of the contemporary world.
It's a young adult ( perhaps 14+ ) but also a crossover novel that adults will find fascinating.
The Body Image Book for Girls, Charlotte Markey ( large paperback Sept 2022)
£9.99
It is worrying to think that most girls feel dissatisfied with their bodies, and that this can lead to serious problems including depression and eating disorders. Can some of those body image worries be eased? Body image expert and psychology professor Dr Charlotte Markey helps girls aged 9-15 to understand, accept, and appreciate their bodies. She provides all the facts on puberty, mental health, self-care, why diets are bad news, dealing with social media, and everything in-between.Girls will find answers to questions they always wanted to ask, the truth behind many body image myths, and real-life stories from girls who share their own experiences. Through this easy-to-read and beautifully illustrated guide, Dr Markey teaches girls how to nurture both mental and physical health to improve their own body image, shows the positive impact they can have on others, and enables them to go out into the world feeling fearless!
The Body In the Blitz, Robin Stevens (paperback October 2023)
£7.99
The second thrilling and unputdownable mystery starring a new generation of the Detective Society, from the million-copy-bestselling author Robin Stevens.
March 1941. Britain is at war, and a secret agency called the Ministry of Unladylike Activity is training up children as spies - because grown-ups always underestimate them.
Enter May, Eric and Nuala: courageous, smart, and the Ministry's newest recruits. May's big sister Hazel has arranged for them to stay on a quiet street close to the Ministry, home to an unlikely collection of people thrown together by the war. And it is in the basement of the bombed-out house at the end of that street that they discover something mysterious.
Something that was not there when the Blitz wreckage was first combed through. Something that has been placed there recently. A body...
Could this be the missing Ministry spy that Daisy Wells is on a dangerous mission in France to find? Or could it be someone else - someone a resident of the street wanted silenced . . .
The Book Cat, Polly Faber (paperback 2022)
£7.99
This is a classic wartime tale of a (real!) cat who made his home at the Faber offices and decided he'd never leave. 'This time we need to get you - get all of the kittens, safe out of London,' said Morgan decisively . .. 'To have a chance for a better life, well, let's just say, I've got an idea.'Morgan is a young orphan who lives off scavenging - until he finds a cosy home at a famous London publishing house. Over time he learns a trade - and soon becomes the very best book cat in the business.
And then the Blitz begins. Morgan finds himself training up twenty odd kittens to be book cats, and then there is the small matter of secretly evacuating them out of London. Happily, Morgan has a plan.
Set in war-torn London, charmingly illustrated, and full of heart and verve.
The Book of Days, Francesa Kay ( paperback April 2025)
£9.99
ANNO DOMINI 1546. In a manor house in England a young woman feels the walls are closing around her, while her dying husband is obsessed by his vision of a chapel where prayers will be said for his immortal soul. As the days go by and the chapel takes shape, the outside world starts to intrude.
But as the old ways are replaced by the new, the people of the village sense a dangerous freedom …Reader Reviews‘A must read … Characters that one cares about, beautifully structured, a real page turner’‘A jewel of a book’‘Beautifully written’‘Atmospheric and compelling'
The Book of Form & Emptiness, Ruth Ozeki ( paperback March 2022)
£9.99
WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2022
When a book and a reader are meant for each other, both of them know it . . .
After the tragic death of his father, fourteen-year-old Benny Oh begins to hear voices. The voices belong to the things in his house and sound variously pleasant, angry or sad. Then his mother develops a hoarding problem, and the voices grow more clamorous.
So Benny seeks refuge in the silence of a large public library. There he meets a mesmerising street artist with a smug pet ferret; a homeless philosopher-poet; and his very own Book, who narrates Benny's life and teaches him to listen to the things that truly matter. Blending unforgettable characters with jazz, climate change and our attachment to material possessions, this is classic Ruth Ozeki - bold, humane and heartbreaking.
The Book of Nordic Self Care ( Nov 24, hardback)
£14.99
The Book of Nordic Self-Care : Find Peace and Balance Through Seasonal Rituals, Connecting with Nature, Mindfulness Practices, and More
by Elisabeth Carlsson (Author)
The Nordic countries are renowned for being among the happiest in the world, and in this beautifully illustrated guide, Elisabeth Carlsson shares the keys to their lifestyle to help you improve your health and wellbeing. In the first chapter, learn about the benefits of wellness practices such as saunas and find skincare rituals that you can try at home.
Next, take inspiration from Nordic foods by focusing on simple flavours, seasonal produce and preparing your meals as an act of self-care. There's also a chapter on immersing yourself in nature through cold-water therapy and wild swimming. Embracing and adapting to the seasons is one way that the Nordics cope with the dark winters, and you'll find methods to help you tune in to your environment through seasonal celebrations.
From small self-care rituals to ways to shift your mindset, this guide includes plenty of inspiration from the Nordic countries to help you simplify and savour your everyday life.
The Book of Witty Women ( paperback April 2024)
£12.99
This anthology showcases the very best in humorous short story writing, by outstanding contemporary women writers, including Kathy Lette, Sadia Azmat, Lucy Vine, Josie Long, Paula Lennon, and many more. It includes the winning and shortlisted stories from the Comedy Women in Print Short Story Prize. From tales of a narcoleptic biscuit lover, con artists with a twist, and the accidental death of a hamster; to consequences of accidental gluing, the imagined world of extreme shopping, and the delightfully surreal world of canine dating, these 15 boldly imaginative stories range across a multitude of genres and themes.
Each proves the power of the short story to disarm, tickle or simply entertain.
Edited and introduced by Helen Lederer , Kathy Lette (Author) , Sadia Azmat (Author) , Josie Long (Author) , Lucy Vine (Author) , Paula Lennon (Author) , Kimberley Adams (Author) , Annemarie Cancienne (Author) , Kim Clayden (Author) , Jean Ende (Author)
The Book You Want Everyone You Love to Read, ( hardback ), and The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read ( paperback)
£10.99
Life success is all about relationships and the quality of those connections, whether that's with family, partners, friends, colleagues or most importantly yourself. If you can get those relationships on a functional and even keel, then the other tricky stuff that life throws your way becomes easier to manage. In this warm, practical and witty book, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling psychotherapist Philippa Perry shows you how to approach life's big problems.
How do you find and keep love? What can you do to manage conflict better? How can you get unstuck and cope with change and loss? What does it mean to you to be content? Are other people just annoying or are you the problem?With a healthy dose of sanity, Philippa Perry's compassionate advice could help you become a happier, wiser person.
Following on from the hugely successful, The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read - for parents of children of ALL ages. .. please select below which title you would like.
The BookClub Bundle ( Spring 2024)
£31.97 £30.00
Every 3 months we choose our new selection of reading for the bookclub. Even if you don't come along, many people follow along via the mailing list group, and you will receive the book review summary on this email ( and also on the blog of this website!)
If you would like to 'read along' please email us ( linda@bookspaperscissors.co.uk) and you can order this quarter's titles all together here ...
April, Soldier Sailor - Claire Kilroy
May, Ravenous - Henry Dimbleby
June, All the Little Bird Hearts - Viktoria Lloyd Barlow
Should be £31.97 but the bundle is priced at £30.
The Borough Market Cookbook, by Ed Smith (hardback)
£30.00
'Like the market, the book is exciting, instructive, seductive and inspirational.' -Claudia Roden For over 1000 years, Borough has served the people of London, and now welcomes 12 million visitors a year. This gorgeous collection takes you on a tour of the four seasons of Borough, from Apple Day in October, to the switching on of the Christmas lights, to Easter and Midsummer, with the most delicious recipes highlighting the very best of those celebrations.Along the way, you'll be introduced to key seasonal ingredients with shopping and preparation tips, straight from the artisan producers, that will change how you cook for ever. Packed full of beautiful photography, much of it shot on location at Borough throughout the year, this is a cookbook that will inspire food lovers and home cooks everywhere, even if they only follow Borough Market from afar.
The Boss of Everyone, Danny Williams ( paperback March 2023)
£7.99
Imagine if you got to be the boss of EVERYONE-even your dad! That's just what happens to 10-year-old Joss in this hilarious, brand-new comedy from bestselling author, comedian and presenter Danny Wallace, with illustrations throughout from Gemma Correll. Perfect for children aged 8+.
Ten-year-old Joss's greatest ambition is to be Class Monitor at school. But she's about to go one step further. It's Take Your Kid to Work Day, and Joss's dad takes her to the games company he works for. When the boss calls a meeting and tells them he's giving his job away to the person with the best idea for a company game-changer .
. . Joss sticks her hand up.
And the next thing she knows, Joss is the boss. Joss is thrilled. Dad is horrified: he's going to have to be on his best behaviour all the time! As Joss whips everyone into shape, maybe they can all learn a lesson or two .
. . even Joss herself.
Warm-hearted and beautifully observed, with hilarious artwork from Gemma Correll, this family-centric comedy has massive wish-fulfilment appeal for kids and adults alike.
The Boy Who Lost His Spark, Maggie O'Farrell ( hardback October 2022)
£14.99
The new children's book from multi-award-winning author of Hamnet, Maggie O'Farrell, paired once more with Daniela Terrazzini's stunning illustrations. When Jem and his family move to the countryside, he doesn't like his new home one bit. It's an old cottage on the side of a hill, where strange things keep happening: shoes are filled up with conkers, the stairs become tangled in a woollen maze.
Jem's sister Verity is certain it is the work of a "nouka", an ancient creature from local folklore that lives deep down inside the hill. Jem, however, is adamant that there is no such thing. But this small mythical creature, so attuned to the hearts and minds of others, does exist.
And, what's more, it is determined, through mischief and mayhem, to help Jem reignite the spark within himself once more.
Those of you who know Maggie O'Farrell's soothing style of writing will know that this is a very special children's story - Linda
