Products
Evil Eye, Etaf Rum ( paperback August 2024)
£9.99
The powerful and poignant novel from the author of the much-loved A Woman is No Man.
Raised in a conservative Palestinian family in Brooklyn, Yara thought she would finally feel free when she married a charming entrepreneur. Now, she has a good job at the local college, and balances that with raising her two daughters and taking care of their home. Yara knows that her life is more rewarding than her mother’s – so why doesn’t it feel like enough? After Yara responds to a colleague’s racist provocation, she is put on probation at work and must attend mandatory counselling.
Her mother blames a family curse for Yara’s troubles, and while Yara doesn’t believe in superstitions, she still finds herself growing increasingly uneasy about falling victim to the same mistakes as her mother. Yara’s carefully constructed world begins to implode and suddenly she must face up to the difficulties of her childhood, not fully realising how that will impact not just her own future, but that of her daughters too. * * * Praise for Etaf Rum: ‘A love letter to storytelling’ New York Times ‘Garnering justified comparisons to Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns … a must-read about women mustering up the bravery to follow their inner voice’ Refinery
Exciting Times, Naoise Dolan ( paperback, March 2021)
£8.99
Likely to fill the Sally-Rooney-shaped hole in many readers' lives' IRISH TIMES
'Droll, shrewd and unafraid - a winning debut' Hilary Mantel
* Longlisted for Women's Prize for Fiction 2021 * NOW IN PAPERBACK ( cover as hardback)
When you leave Ireland aged 22 to spend your parents' money, it's called a gap year. When Ava leaves Ireland aged 22 to make her own money, she's not sure what to call it, but it involves: - a badly-paid job in Hong Kong, teaching English grammar to rich children; - Julian, who likes to spend money on Ava and lets her move into his guest room; - Edith, who Ava meets while Julian is out of town and actually listens to her when she talks; - money, love, cynicism, unspoken feelings and unlikely connections.
This is an acutely self conscious and clever tale.
Exile, Aimee Walsh - paperback March 2025
£9.99
Leaving home was hard. Returning is impossible. Fiadh's life is turned completely upside down on a night out in Belfast.
Pretty soon everyone has heard about what happened; it is impossible to keep the rumours from spreading, the gossip from spiralling out of control. And just as she was beginning to finally figure everything out: she was feeling positive about her move to Liverpool, she was starting to get on top of her uni work and had made some new friends. Now her life is in freefall and Fiadh is helpless to do anything about it.
She starts missing assignment deadlines, stops turning up to class and doesn't respond to any of her friends' messages. Her nights revolve around random hook ups, fuelled by drink and drugs. Without the tightknit group of friends she left behind at home or the support of the new friends she has made in Liverpool, Fiadh's life quickly descends into chaos, a chaos that nearly costs her everything.
Aimée holds a PhD in Irish Literature and Cultural History. Exile is her debut novel.
Exiles, Jane Harper ( paperback Sept 23)
£9.99
A mother disappears from a busy festival on a warm spring night. Her baby lies alone in the pram, her mother's possessions surrounding her, waiting for a return which never comes.A year later, Kim Gillespie's absence still casts a long shadow as her friends and loved ones gather to welcome a new addition to the family. Joining the celebrations on a rare break from work is federal investigator Aaron Falk, who begins to suspect that all is not as it seems. As he looks into Kim's case, long-held secrets and resentments begin to come to the fore, secrets that show that her community is not as close as it appears.
Falk will have to tread carefully if he is to expose the dark fractures at its heart, but sometimes it takes an outsider to get to the truth. . .
An outstanding novel, a brilliant mystery and a heart-pounding read from the author of The Dry, Force of Nature, The Lost Man and The Survivors. Jane Harper is originally from the UK but writes in and about Australia.
Exploring Ireland : A Guide To The Irish Outdoors, David Flanagan ( Dec 2022)
£30.00
Exploring Ireland is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the outdoors, from families looking for gentle Sunday strolls to experienced adventurers seeking out challenging hikes, paddles and cycles. This inspiring guidebook contains over 1700 things to do and places to see across the length and breadth of the island of Ireland. It's perfect for planning days out, weekends away and longer holidays.This book's 384 pages are packed with over 600 spectacular photos and detailed information on Ireland's beaches, signposted walks, mountain hikes, long-distance trails, blueways, greenways, cycle routes, forests, islands, rivers, lakes, heritage sites, parks and gardens, as well as a selection of interesting places to stay and eat.
Eyewitness to War and Peace, Eamonn Mallie ( paperback Feb 2024)
£17.99
In this gripping memoir, Eamonn Mallie takes us on an extraordinary journey through his life as a journalist in Northern Ireland. From the frontlines of the Troubles to the corridors of power, Mallie’s fearless reporting and unrelenting pursuit of the truth have made him a legendary figure in Irish journalism. Having gained unparalleled access to key players, Mallie shares his reflections on his groundbreaking interviews with John Hume, Gerry Adams, Margaret Thatcher, Ian Paisley, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and a host of other influential figures involved in the peace process. From adrenaline-fuelled moments on the ground to frank conversations with political heavyweights, Eyewitness to War and Peace is a captivating read that sheds new light on the challenges and triumphs of navigating the world of journalism in a divided society. An unflinching testament to the power of investigative reporting and the enduring pursuit of peace, this is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Northern Ireland’s troubled past and its hopeful future.
Fair Play, Louise Hegarty ( hardback April 2025)
£16.99
‘SALLY ROONEY MEETS THE SECRET HISTORY’ - The Sunday Times
This is a murder mystery. This is a story about love. Or is it? Abigail and her brother Benjamin have always been close.
To celebrate his birthday, Abigail hires a grand old house and gathers their friends together for a murder mystery party. As the night goes on, they drink too much and play games. Relationships are forged, consolidated or frayed. Someone kisses someone they shouldn’t, someone else’s heart is broken. In the morning, everyone wakes up – except Benjamin. Suddenly everything is not quite what it seems.
An eminent detective arrives determined to find Benjamin’s killer. The house now has a butler, a gardener and a housekeeper. This is a locked-room mystery, and everyone is a suspect. As Abigail attempts to fathom her brother’s unexpected death in a world that has been turned upside down, she begins to wonder whether perhaps the true mystery might have been his life . . .
Louise Hegarty's Fair Play is the puzzle-box story that brilliantly lays bare the real truth of life - the terrifying mystery of grief.
Fairies Don’t Exist, by Michael O’Neill & Stephen Pierce
£6.99
This is a funny, delightful story about a long suffering Dad trying to sort his daughter out and get her to sleep ( so he can have some peace).
Super illustrations, and enough narrative to entertain the 3 - 5 year olds.
A great book. Locally produced!
Fake Heroes, Otto English ( paperback May 2024)
£18.99
Fake Heroes : Ten False Icons and How they Altered the Course of History
From the author of the fascinating and readable Fake History, Otto English, comes a shocking yet hilarious look at ten of the greatest liars from our past, examining these previously unquestioned idols and exposing what they were trying to hide.
Was Che Guevara really a revolutionary hero? Should Mother Teresa be honoured as a saint? Is Henry V actually England's greatest king? And why does JFK's legend continue to grow? Having exposed some of the greatest lies ever told in Fake History, journalist Otto English turns his attention to some of history's biggest (and most beloved) figures. Whether it's virtuous leaders in just wars, martyrs sacrificing all for a cause, or innovators changing the world for the better, down the centuries supposedly great men and women have risen to become household names, saints and heroes.
But just how deserving are they of their reputations? Exploring everything from Captain Scott's reckless hunt for glory and Andy Warhol's flagrant thievery to Coco Chanel's murky Nazi past, Otto English dives into the hidden lives of some of history's most recognisable names.
Fake History : Ten Great Lies and How They Shaped the World Otto English, ( paperback April 2022)
£10.99
An alternative history of the world that exposes some of the biggest lies ever told and how they've been used over time. Lincoln did not believe all men were created equal.The Aztecs were not slaughtered by the Spanish Conquistadors. And Churchill was not the man that people love to remember. In this fascinating new book, journalist and author Otto English takes ten great lies from history and shows how our present continues to be manipulated by the fabrications of the past.
He looks at how so much of what we take to be historical fact is, in fact, fiction. From the myths of WW2 to the adventures of Columbus, and from the self-serving legends of 'great men' to the origins of curry - fake history is everywhere and used ever more to impact our modern world. Setting out to redress the balance, English tears apart the lies propagated by politicians and think tanks, the grand narratives spun by populists and the media, the stories on your friend's Facebook feed and the tales you were told in childhood.
And, in doing so, reclaims the truth from those who have perverted it. Fake History exposes everything you weren't told in school and why you weren't taught it.
Falling Animals, Sheila Armstrong ( Paperback from July 2024)
£14.99
'Lush, lyrical and cleverly-constructed. A beautiful book.' Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses The disquieting story of an unidentified man as told by those who crossed paths with him on the last day of his life, Sheila Armstrong's debut novel is haunting, lyrical and darkly suspensefulOn an isolated beach set against a lonely, windswept coastline, a pale figure sits serenely against a sand dune staring out to sea. His hands are folded neatly in his lap, his ankles are crossed and there is a faint smile on his otherwise lifeless face.
Months later, after a fruitless investigation, the nameless stranger is buried in an unmarked grave. But the mystery of his life and death lingers on, drawing the nearby villagers into its wake. From strandings to shipwrecks, it is not the first time that strangeness has washed up on their shores.
Told through a chorus of voices, Falling Animals follows the crosshatching threads of lives both true and imagined, real and surreal, past and present. Slowly, over great time and distance, the story of one man, alone on a beach, begins to unravel. Elegiac and atmospheric, dark and disquieting, Sheila Armstrong's debut novel marks her arrival as one of the most uniquely gifted writers at work in literary fiction today.
Paperback from May 2024
Family of Liars, E Lockhart ( paperback May 2023)
£8.99
The thrilling prequel to the TikTok phenomenon and #1 New York Times bestseller We Were Liars takes readers back to the story of another summer, another generation, and the secrets that will haunt them for decades to come. A windswept private island off the coast of Massachusetts. A hungry ocean, churning with secrets and sorrow.A fiery, addicted heiress. An irresistible, unpredictable boy. A summer of unforgivable betrayal and terrible mistakes.
Welcome back to the Sinclair family. They were always liars. SPOILER ALERT! Read We Were Liars first.
(No word of a lie, it's better that way ...)
Fantastic Mr Fox, Roald Dahl ( paperback )
£7.99
On a hill above the valley there was a wood. In the wood there was a huge tree. Under the tree there was a hole.
In the hole lived Mr Fox and Mrs Fox and their four Small Foxes. . .
"Mr Fox is a very clever fox - every evening he creeps down into the valley and helps himself to food from the nearby farms. Chickens from Farmer Boggis, ducks and geese from Farmer Bunce, and turkeys from Farmer Bean. But now the farmers have had enough, and together they hatch a plan to get rid of Mr Fox for good!But what they don't know is Mr Fox has some help, and a fantastic escape plan of his own...
The text in this edition of Fantastic Mr Fox was updated in 2022 for young independent readers. A great way of reading to your younger child, engaging their love of language, and encouraging independent reading.
note that from 2020-2023 Dahl has come in for some criticism for some of his language being dated in terms of race or gender bias. These texts have been slightly amended in line with current sensitivities
Farewell to the Horse : The Final Century of Our Relationship, by Ulrich Raulff (2018)
£12.99
THE SUNDAY TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR
A beautiful and thoughtful exploration of the role of the horse in creating our world' James Rebanks'
For millennia horses provided the strength and speed that humans lacked. How we travelled, farmed and fought was dictated by the needs of this extraordinary animal. And then, suddenly, in the 20th century the links were broken and the millions of horses that shared our existence almost vanished, eking out a marginal existence on race-tracks and pony clubs.
Farewell to the Horse is an engaging, brilliantly written and moving discussion of what horses once meant to us. Cities, farmland, entire industries were once shaped as much by the needs of horses as humans. The intervention of horses was fundamental in countless historical events.
A well researched, entertaining book for anyone with an interest in the horse.
Feather, MG Leonard ( paperback Feb 2024)
£7.99
The final unputdownable adventure in the bestselling birdwatching detective series from the internationally acclaimed author of Beetle Boy and Adventures on Trains, wildlife queen M.G. Leonard. On a school trip to the Royal Swan Natural History Museum, Ava finds herself at the centre of a heist: hundreds of invaluable bird of paradise skins from the Alfred Wallace Collection have been stolen! When she discovers a large jet-black feather, she's sure it's a clue, but the police won't listen to her.Slipping away, she takes the case to the Twitchers in an investigation that leads them to the bizarre and sinister world of fly-fishing, and to a mysterious girl with a pet Raven called Caliban and a dangerous ring of thieves and smugglers... Feather is an exciting winter mystery adventure about friendship, bravery and protecting nature, perfect for readers 9+ and for fans of Robin Stevens, Lauren St John and Jenny Pearson. It can be enjoyed as a stand-alone adventure or read as part of The Twitchers series.
Praise for The Twitchers:“Leonard knows her audience and the jeopardy comes in flocks ... Find your nest, curl up and enjoy.†The Times, Children's Book of the Week on Twitch"A twist-laden, thriller-like tale of a bird-mad boy, some bullies and an escaped convict hiding in the nearby woods."
FENG SHUI MODERN, Cliff Tan (hardback 2022)
£12.99
In an increasingly cramped world, a modern guide to opening up your living space - and your life - using the ancient principles of feng shui.
How do you place a bed in an awkward room? How can your space help you be more focused and more productive? How do you set up your room to make you ready for romantic love? Our homes have an outsized impact on our wellbeing, so answering these questions is more important than ever. Luckily, interior design expert and TikTok sensation Cliff Tan is here to help! Cliff has become an internet sensation with his videos demonstrating the principles of feng shui from chi (energy) to the command position - and he has put his wisdom into a book for the first time.
In Feng Shui Modern, Cliff explains the concepts of feng shui and then uses expert tips and practical diagrams to show - room by room - how our own styles, colour palettes and furniture can be used to maximise any environment. More importantly, Cliff gives you the tools to apply feng shui yourself, whether you live in a dorm or a five-bedroom house. As long as you understand the logic, there is no room too challenging, no problem feng shui can't unravel.
FIA and the Last Snow Deer (hardback Sept 2024)
£14.99
An Post Irish Book Award 2024 WINNER
Born under the same solstice sky thirteen years ago, Fia and her snow deer Solas have always had a powerful and unbreakable connection. But as Fia's village face a seemingly eternal winter, they turn their sights to Solas and an ancient prophecy that promises the return of sunlight and life, if the ultimate sacrifice is made . .
Refusing to allow the worst to happen, Fia and her cousin Mish run from the village with Solas, seeking out the Deer Mother - the mythical being who wakes the sun at the winter solstice and who might be their only hope. But the wilderness is harsh and shadows lurk at every turn.
Can they make it to the Deer Mother? And, if they do, what choices will Fia face to bring back the sun and save her village?A powerful and beautiful tale set in snowy pre-historic Ireland, about hope, kindness and the power of friendship, from exceptional new writing talent, Eilish Fisher, brought to life with stunning illustrations from Dermot Flynn.
'Tender, hopeful and thrillingly wild' Abi Elphinstone, bestselling author of Sky Song'A beautiful, lyrical read full of love, hardship and hope . .. I cannot recommend this book highly enough'
Fifteen Wild Decembers, Karen Powell ( paperback Sept 2023)
£14.99
Isolated from society, Emily Bronte and her siblings spend their days inventing elaborate fictional realms or roaming the wild moors above their family home in Yorkshire. When the time comes for them to venture out into the world to earn a living, each of them struggles to adapt, but for Emily the change is catastrophic. Torn from the landscape to which she has become so passionately bound, she is simply unable to function.
To the outside world, Emily Bronte appears taciturn and unexceptional, but beneath the surface her mind is in a creative ferment. A violent phenomenon is about to burst forth that will fuse her imaginary world with the landscape of her beloved Yorkshire and change the literary world forever. Fifteen Wild Decembers is the dazzling second novel from a writer who has been compared to Shirley Hazzard and Graham Greene, and whose first novel was described as 'utterly stunning', 'mesmerizing' and hailed as 'a masterpiece.'
Described as Little Women for the Bronte's
Fifty Fifty, Steve Cavanagh ( paperback, Jul 2020)
£9.99
TWO SISTERS ON TRIAL FOR MURDER. THEY ACCUSE EACH OTHER. WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?
'911 what's your emergency?''My dad's dead.
My sister Sofia killed him. She's still in the house. Please send help.''My dad's dead.
My sister Alexandra killed him. She's still in the house. Please send help.'One of them is a liar and a killer.
But which one?
'Very clever, darkly funny, moving, fast-paced.' Jane Casey
Addictive, clever, pacy. Eddie Flynn is one of my heroes.' Jo Spain
Fight Night, Miriam Toews (paperback June 2023)
£8.99
Swiv has taken her grandmother's advice too literally. Now she's at home, suspended from school. Mom is pregnant and preoccupied - and so Swiv is in the older woman's charge, receiving a very different form of education from a teacher with a style all her own.Grandma likes her stories fast, troublesome and funny. She's known the very worst that life can throw at you - and has met it every time with a wild, unnamable spirit, fighting for joy and independence every step of the way. But will maths lessons based on Amish jigsaws and classes on How to Dig a Winter Grave inspire the same fire in Swiv, and ensure it never goes out?Time is running short.
Grandma's health is failing, the baby is on the way, as a family of three extraordinary women prepare to face life's great changes together. Poignant, hilarious and deeply moving, Fight Night is a girl's love letter to the women raising her and a tribute to one family's fighting spirit.
Find Peace in a Poem ( hardback Jan 2024)
£12.99
This is a book of poetry for everyone. Inside is a treasure trove of writing celebrating mindfulness. Read the poems aloud or curl up with them in a quiet corner.
Begin your journey into a lifelong love of poetry. This beautifully illustrated collection features powerful poems written by a wide range of contemporary voices. They share their unique perspectives on the topic of mindfulness, from listening for silence and living in the moment to the colour of our dreams and what the trees can teach us.
Showcasing original poems alongside existing works, this is a book to share and treasure forever. Featuring brilliant poetry by:Mandy Coe,Jack Prelutsky,Pat Mora,Kate Wakeling,James Carter,Nikita Gill,Joseph Coelho,Valerie Bloom,Amina Jama,Michael Rosen,Sue Hardy-Dawson,Mary Ann Hoberman,Georgia Heard,Sophia Thakur,Sanah Ahsan,Elizabeth Acevedo,Kit Wright,Naomi Shihab, NyeZaro Weil, alongside beautiful artwork.
Finding Bear, Hannah Gold ( paperback Jan 2025)
£7.99
April Wood has returned home from her adventure on Bear Island. But, over a year later, she can't stop thinking about Bear.
When April hears that a polar bear has been shot and injured in Svalbard, she's convinced it's her friend and persuades her dad to travel with her to the northernmost reaches of the Arctic. So begins an unforgettable journey across frozen tundra and icy glaciers. But along the way, she discovers much more than she bargained for - a tiny polar bear cub, desperately in need of her help.
In freezing temperatures, April must navigate the dangerous Arctic terrain and face her deepest fears if she's to save him. Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold, Finding Bear is a stunning story of survival and a heartwarming tale of love that shows us how hope is born from the smallest of beginnings.
Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold and perfect for readers 8+
Finding Wonder, Lauren St John ( paperback Sept 23)
£7.99
Orphaned Roo Thorn feels like the unluckiest girl in the world. Until she discovers a letter. A letter which urges her to 'Grab life by the wings and fly.'With the help of her aunt, Joni, Roo sets out to buy her dream horse - a fiery showjumper named Wonder Boy.Then Wonder vanishes without a trace. Determined to save him, Roo and Joni investigate his disappearance. But as the mystery deepens and more prize horses are stolen, the pair find themselves drawn into a thrilling - but dangerous - adventure .
. . How far will they go, and what will they risk, to find Wonder?
Fire and Fortitude, John C McManus ( SIGNED PAPERBACK)
£19.99
One Signed Copy Left
Out here, mention is seldom seen of the achievements of the Army ground troops,' wrote one officer in the fall of 1943, 'whereas the Marines are blown up to the skies.' Even today, the Marines are celebrated as the victors of the Pacific. Yet the majority of fighting and dying in the war against Japan was done not by Marines, but by unsung Army soldiers.
John C. McManus, one of the most highly acclaimed historians of World War II, takes readers from Pearl Harbor - a rude awakening for a ragtag militia woefully unprepared for war - to Makin, a sliver of coral reef where the Army was tested against the increasingly desperate Japanese. In between were nearly two years of punishing combat as the Army transformed, at times unsteadily, from an undertrained garrison force into an unstoppable juggernaut, and America evolved from an inward-looking nation into a global superpower.
At the pinnacle of this richly told story are the generals: Douglas MacArthur, a military autocrat driven by his dysfunctional lust for fame and power; Robert Eichelberger, perhaps the greatest commander in the theater yet consigned to obscurity by MacArthur's jealousy; Vinegar Joe Stillwell, a prickly soldier miscast in a diplomat's role; and Walter Krueger, a German-born officer who came to lead the largest American ground force in the Pacific.
Enriching the narrative are the voices of men otherwise lost to history: the uncelebrated army grunts who endured stifling temperatures, apocalyptic tropical storms, rampant malaria and other diseases, as well as a fanatical enemy bent on total destruction.
This is an essential, ambitious book, the first of two volumes, a compellingly written and boldly revisionist account of a war that reshaped the American military and the globe, and continues to resonate today.
Fireborn: Twelve and the Frozen Forest, by Aisling Fowler ( Sept 2022 Paperback)
£7.99
Set in the snowy northern forests of a prehistoric world, Fireborn is the middle-grade debut of the decade.
By turns exciting, funny and heart wrenchingly sad, it marks the introduction of an unstoppable new voice in children's storytelling. A FIERCE HEROINE RISES Twelve has spoken the Pledge and now she is a Huntling. She has given up her name to train in the art of fighting monsters, and she won't choose a new one until she has earned it.
But when her friend is taken, Twelve sets off on a dangerous journey to rescue her. Teaming up with Dog, the stone Guardian of the Hunting Lodge, Twelve ends up on an epic adventure that will change her life, her name - and her entire world. The second book in the FIREBORN series, Phoenix and the Frost Palace, is available from October 2023 in paperback.
First Term at Fernside, Sheena Wilkinson ( paperback Sept 2024)
£8.99
It’s a new term at Fernside boarding school, and Robin can’t wait for fun in the dorm, playing games and maybe even winning the coveted Form Shield. But for new girl Linnet, Robin’s younger cousin, there are just too many new faces and strict rules. Luckily, she has Robin for help and her very own hideaway.
And when the adorable puppy Rudy disappears, it is Linnet who is determined to find him. Even if it means dragging Robin and all her new friends headfirst into danger. There may be daring rescues, secret missions and adventures galore, but best of all are the true friendships to be made at Fernside.
Five Survive, Holly Jackson ( hardback July 2023)
£8.99
THE EXPLOSIVE NEW YA CRIME THRILLER FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER.
WINNER of the CrimeFest award 2022 for Best Crime Fiction Novel for Young Adults! 'A blisteringly good standalone thriller.'The Observer, YA Books of the Year, 4/12/2022
Eighteen year old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. Spirits are high.
Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realise that this is no accident. There's a sniper out there.
He's watching them and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for. As a game of cat-and-mouse plays out, the group desperately tries to get help.
Buried secrets are forced to light and tensions within the group reach deadly levels. Only one thing is for sure. Not everyone will survive the night .
Five Tuesdays in Winter, Lily King ( paperback Jan 2023) )
£9.99
Writers & Lovers established Lily King as one of our most beloved authors of contemporary fiction. Now, for the first time ever, King collects ten of her finest short stories, opening fresh realms of discovery for avid and new readers alike.Told in the intimate voices of unique and endearing characters of all ages, these tales explore desire and heartache, loss and discovery, moments of jolting violence and the inexorable tug toward love at all costs. A bookseller's unspoken love for his employee rises to the surface, a neglected teenage boy finds much-needed nurturing from an unlikely pair of college students hired to housesit, a girl's loss of innocence at the hands of her employer's son becomes a catalyst for strength and confidence, and a proud nonagenarian rages helplessly in his granddaughter's hospital room. Romantic, hopeful, brutally raw, and unsparingly honest, some even slipping into the surreal, these stories are, above all, about King's enduring subject of love.
Lily King's literary mastery, her spare and stunning prose, and her gift for creating lasting and treasured characters is on full display in this curated selection of short fiction. Five Tuesdays in Winter showcases an exhilarating new form for this extraordinarily gifted author writing at the height of her career. 'Lily King is one of our great literary treasures' - Madeline Miller, author of Circe
Fix The System Not The Women, Laura Bates ( PB April 2023)
£9.99
Get your daughters to read this, but only after your partners and sons have finished it' Jo Brand'
Too often, we blame women. For walking home alone at night. For not demanding a seat at the table.
For not overcoming the odds that are stacked against them. This distracts us from the real problem: the failings and biases of a society that was not built for women. In this explosive book, feminist writer and activist Laura Bates exposes the systemic prejudice at the heart of five of our key institutions.
Education Politics Media Policing Criminal justice
Combining stories with shocking evidence, Fix the System, Not the Women is a blazing examination of sexual injustice and a rallying cry for reform.
Flying Tips for Flightless Birds, by Kelly McCaughrain (paperback)
£7.99
Twins Finch and Birdie Franconi are stars of the flying trapeze. But when Birdie suffers a terrifying accident, Finch must team up with the geeky new kid, Hector Hazzard, to form an all-boys double act and save the family circus school.
Recently shortlisted for the Great Reads Award, this debut YA novel is funny, warm hearted and encouraging for anyone who feels they just don’t fit ‘the mould’.
Flyntlock Bones 2 : The Eye of Mogrod, Derek Keilty (March 21, pb)
£7.99
A priceless golden chalice has been stolen from Fergus McSwaggers, fearsome chief of the squelchy Bog Islands ... and he wants it back! Can Flynn and the crew of the Black Hound solve their most dangerous case yet, battling deadly ice pirates, outsmarting squabbling clans, and facing the scariest beast of all the Seven Seas, the monstrous, cat-like Mogdrod?
All books in the series available below. Ideal for building reading confidence and vocabulary.
For kids 5 - 9
Following Frankenstein, Catherine De Bruton ( paperback October 2021)
£7.99
A brilliantly-conceived and hugely imaginative 'sequel' to Mary Shelley's masterpiece, Following Frankenstein is a hugely exciting and beautifully-written historical adventure, perfect for 9-12 year olds. Sometimes I was jealous of the monster of Frankenstein. I grew up believing my father cared more for him than he did for me.And was I wrong? Maggie Walton's father has dedicated his life to a single pursuit: hunting down the monster created by Victor Frankenstein. It has cost Maggie and her family everything - and now her father is staking everything on one last voyage to the Arctic, with Maggie secretly in tow, where he hopes to find the monster at last. But there they make a shocking discovery: Frankenstein's monster has a son...
A breath-taking, epic adventure, spanning the icy wastes of the Arctic Tundra to the vaudeville circus of New York, from the award-winning author of No Ballet Shoes in Syria and Another Twist in the Tale.
Foreign Bodies, Simon Schama (paperback Feb 2024)
£12.99
Cities and countries engulfed by panic and death, desperate for vaccines but fearful of what inoculation may bring. This is what the world has just gone through with Covid-19. But as Simon Schama shows in his epic history of vulnerable humanity caught between the terror of contagion and the ingenuity of science, it has happened before. Characteristically, with Schama the message is delivered through gripping, page-turning stories set in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries: smallpox strikes London; cholera hits Paris; plague comes to India.
Threading through the scenes of terror, suffering and hope – in hospitals and prisons, palaces and slums – are an unforgettable cast of characters: a philosopher-playwright burning up with smallpox in a country chateau; a vaccinating doctor paying house calls in Halifax; a woman doctor in south India driving her inoculator-carriage through the stricken streets as dead monkeys drop from the trees. But we are also in the labs when great, life-saving breakthroughs happen, in Paris, Hong Kong and Mumbai. At the heart of it all, an unsung hero: Waldemar Haffkine.
A gun-toting Jewish student in Odesa turned microbiologist at the Pasteur Institute, hailed in England as ‘the saviour of mankind’ for vaccinating millions against cholera and bubonic plague in British India while being cold-shouldered by the medical establishment of the Raj. Creator of the world’s first mass production line of vaccines in Mumbai, he is tragically brought down in an act of shocking injustice. Foreign Bodies crosses borders between east and west, Asia and Europe, the worlds of rich and poor, politics and science.
‘This splendid and often moving work of history… Schama has a gift for combining novelistically colourful detail, serious analysis and wryly amusing asides’ Daily Telegraph
Foster, Claire Keegan ( paperback)
£8.99
From the author of the Booker-shortlisted Small Things Like These, a heartbreaking, haunting story of childhood, loss and love by one of Ireland's most acclaimed writers. 'A real jewel.' Irish Independent'A small miracle.' Sunday Times'A thing of finely honed beauty.' Guardian'Thrilling.' Richard Ford'As good as Chekhov.' David MitchellIt is a hot summer in rural Ireland. A girl is sent to live with foster parents on a farm, not knowing when she will return home.
In the strangers' house, she finds a warmth and affection she has not known before and slowly begins to blossom in their care. But in a house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers how fragile her idyll is.
Now a stunning and emotional film, The Quiet Girl ( part Irish / Eng with subtitles)
Four Shots in the night, by Henry Hemming ( paperback March 2025)
£10.99
HOW THE DEATH OF A SPY IN THE IRA LED TO ONE OF THE BIGGEST MURDER INVESTIGATIONS IN BRITISH HISTORY.
'Henry Hemming wears his extensive research very lightly and manages to shape a great narrative from a complex and dark episode from our recent history. An important and skilfully crafted book.' JOHN O'FARRELL.
On 26th May 1986, the body of an undercover British agent was found by the side of a muddy lane, with a rope tied around its wrists and tape over each eye.
Years later, it was reported that this murder might have been carried out by another undercover British agent, known as 'Stakeknife'. In 2016, a detective began to investigate this case, and would soon find himself running the largest murder investigation in British history. In a compulsive blend of investigative journalism and true crime thriller, Henry Hemming exposes the parallel worlds of the IRA and British intelligence through the lives of those inextricably bound up in both.
He reveals the bravery of those who were crucial in ending the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the bloodiest and longest-running conflict in recent British history, and the determination of one detective in his dogged search for justice and the truth.
Four Thousand Weeks, Oliver Burkeman ( paperback March 2022)
£10.99
The instant Sunday Times bestseller 'Life is finite. You don't have to fit everything in... Read this book and wake up to a new way of thinking and living' EMMA GANNON
What if you stopped trying to do everything, so that you could finally get round to what counts? We're obsessed with our lengthening to-do lists, our overfilled inboxes, the struggle against distraction, and the sense that our attention spans are shrivelling.
Still, we rarely make the connection between our daily struggles with time and the ultimate time management problem: the question of how best to use our ridiculously brief time on the planet, which amounts on average to about four thousand weeks. Four Thousand Weeks is an uplifting, engrossing and deeply realistic exploration of the challenge. Rejecting the futile modern obsession with 'getting everything done,' it introduces readers to tools for constructing a meaningful life by embracing rather than denying their limitations.
And it shows how the unhelpful ways we've come to think about time aren't inescapable, unchanging truths, but choices we've made, as individuals and as a society. Its many revelations will transform the reader's worldview. Drawing on the insights of both ancient and contemporary philosophers, psychologists, and spiritual teachers, Oliver Burkeman sets out to realign our relationship with time - and in doing so, to liberate us from its tyranny.
Embrace your limits. Change your life. Make your four thousand weeks count.
Fox and Son,Tailers, Paddy Donnelly ( paperback 2023)
£8.99
FOX & SONS - Makers of the Finest Traditional Tails for All Animals and Every Occasion!Rory’s dad, Fox, is a tailer. The BEST in the business! Animals come from all over to have their tails made by him. Rory helps his dad in the shop and one of his jobs is measuring the customers for the tails - which isn't always easy!But Rory is bored of making the same old tails.
He has his own amazing ideas ... ‘A beautiful story with a heart-warming ending ... and with foxes! I love it.’ - Chris Haughton
France. An Adventure History, Graham Robb ( paperback March 2023)
£10.99
Original, knowledgeable and endlessly entertaining, France: An Adventure History is an unforgettable journey through France from the first century BC to the present day. Drawn from countless new discoveries and thirty years of exploring France on foot, in the library and across 30,000 miles on the author's beloved bike, it begins with Gaulish and Roman times and ends in the age of #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, the Gilets Jaunes and Covid-19. From the plains of Provence to the slums and boulevards of Paris, events and themes of French history may be familiar - Louis XIV, the French Revolution, the French Resistance, the Tour de France - but all are presented in a shining new light.Frequently hilarious, always surprising, this is a sweeping panorama, teeming with characters, stories and coincidences, and offering a thrilling sense of discovery and enlightenment.
Frank and Bert - The One with the Missing Biscuits, Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
£7.99
The hilarious fox and bear double act from bestseller Chris Naylor-Ballesteros is back and better than ever in a third adventure in the Nottingham Children's Book Award winning series!Frank and Bert are off for a picnic in the countryside. And Bert has brought a delicious surprise! But when he falls asleep, Frank can't resist taking a peek . .
. WOW! Bert has made Frank's FAVOURITE biscuits! Surely, he won't mind if Frank eats one . .
. or two . .
. or three . .
. This big-hearted story about friendship and forgiveness is guaranteed to get children giggling.
