From Publishers WeeklySwainston's daring and imaginative third Fourlands fantasy novel (after The Year of Our War and No Present Like Time) plunges the reader into the action with a gripping account of a bloody battle between fearsome aliens known as the Insects and the people of the Fourlands. A century later, Jant Comet, the winged messenger granted immortality for as long as he serves the Fourlands' Emperor San, battles both his nightmares of the past and the continuing threat of the alien invaders. As Jant struggles to develop a plan that will end the menace once and for all, his focus is diverted by the disappearance of Cyan, the daughter of Jant's fellow immortal and friend, Lightning. Meanwhile, the Insects are developing terrifying new abilities and strategies that may spell doom for the Fourlands. A dramatic and compelling plot, plus inventive and convincing descriptions, elevate this above the common run of contemporary fantasy fiction. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review“Combines action-adventure with a beautifully surreal approach to imagery and description. ... Infinitely fascinating. (Realms of Fantasy )“A dramatic and compelling plot, plus inventive and convincing descriptions, elevate this above the common run of contemporary fantasy fiction.” (Publishers Weekly ) Views: 52
"A mystery worth barking about." – Linda O Johnston Disgraced Texas beauty queen, Melinda (Mel) Langston, owns Laguna Beach's Bow Wow Boutique. Mona Michaels, Mel's most despised client, owns a star dog, Fluffy, who's worth millions. When Mona is found whacked in the head with Fluffy's Daytime Emmy, everyone wants Fluffy, but someone won't stop at murder to get the pooch. Secrets. Blackmail. Mel tackles the case like a dog with a bone. But can she dig up the truth before the killer buries her? I stumbled through the doorway into a mini-palace fit for a movie star. Fluffy's palace. A white sheepskin rug in front of her personal fireplace, a king-sized sleigh bed and a dressing screen (why a dog needed a dressing screen was beyond me). Fresh, filtered water dripped into her Wedgewood doggie bowl. The room looked like it had been ransacked. Mona was sprawled on the floor as if posing for a men's magazine. It was almost picture-perfect, except for the blood matting her five-hundred-dollar haircut and the gold statue stuck in her head. I hesitantly moved closer. Fluffy nuzzled Mona's cheek. When she didn't move, Fluffy pawed her shoulder, still whining. "I don't think she's getting up, girl," I said softly. Mona was deader than a stuffed Poodle. Views: 52
At twenty-six, Emma Roberts comes to the painful realization that if she is ever to become truly independent, she must leave her comfortable London flat and venture into the wider world. This entails not only breaking free from a claustrophobic relationship with her mother, but also shedding her inherited tendency toward melancholy. Once settled in a small Paris hotel, Emma befriends Fran?oise Desnoyers, a vibrant young woman who offers Emma a glimpse into a turbulent life so different from her own. In this exquisite new novel of self-discovery, Booker Prize-winner Anita Brookner addresses one of the great dramas of our lives: growing up and leaving home.From the Trade Paperback edition. Views: 52
It wasn't as if Moxy Maxwell hadn't tried to do her summer reading. She and Stuart Little had been inseparable all summer, like best friends. If Stuart Little wasn't in her backpack, it was in her lap . . . or holding up the coffee table . . . or getting splashed when Moxy went swimming. But now it's the end of August - the day before fourth grade. And if Moxy doesn't read all of Stuart Little immediately, there are going to be "consequences."It may look like Moxy is doing nothing, but actually she is very busy with a zillion highly crucial things - like cleaning up her room (sort of) and training her dog and taking a much-needed rest in the hammock. Just look at the pictures her twin brother Mark takes to document it all - they're scattered throughout - and you'll see why it's so difficult to make time for a book about a mouse.Of course our heroine does manage to finish her book, falling so in love with it that she finds herself reading under the covers with a flashlight, late into the night. Views: 52
Review'There's a new breed of British crime writer giving the genre a much-needed shake-up - and Stephen Leather is at the forefront ... the sheer impetus of his storytelling is damned hard to resist.' -- Daily Express Product Description"_While investigating a crew of people-traffickers…Dan Shepherd discovers a cross-Channel currency-smuggling operation. Posing as a low-level criminal, Shepherd infiltrates the gang, befriending its London soldiers and establishing contact with the Albanian gangster who masterminds the business from his swank Paris flat. As Shepherd soon discovers, currency-smuggling isn't the only business these guys dabble in. With the help of a government contact, they've been churning out fake British passports, a scam that eventually finds Shepherd surrounded by Semtex and racing to foil a terrorist plot…The story builds to a boil as Shepherd, piecing together the terrorists' plans as he goes, lands aboard a Paris-bound Eurostar train with four suicide bombers as his fellow passengers. It's a grand finale that'll have readers on edge. Nicely, and seemingly effortlessly, done_." —Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) Views: 52
What will it take to make the council say yes to a skatepark? Will it take a tragedy to bring the town together? Zac and Corey are best mates. They skate in deserted carparks, along the streets, wherever they can. It's so unfair that they're always getting in trouble for it. It's not as if there's anywhere else to skate. Good girl Lauren Saxelby's been hanging around, filming the skaters for some competition she wants to enter. Suddenly everyone's keen to use the video to convince the council to build a skate park. As if that would work! But Corey's been sucked in to the campaign, and he's hanging around Lauren far too much for Zac's liking. She'll never go out with Corey. He's a Matthews, so he's automatically a criminal - at least according to the gossips. Zac's not ready for what's about to happen. Sometimes you just have to let things wallop you in the guts, then find a way to get up again. Views: 52
An exciting Australian series about the friendship and adventures of three horse-crazy girls. Views: 52
“Nothing special” is the best way to describe Owen Reeder—at least that's what he's been told all his life. When a stranger visits his father's bookstore, Owen's ordinary life spirals out of control and right into a world he didn't even know existed. Owen believes the only gift he possesses is his ability to devour books, but he is about to be forced into a battle that will affect two worlds: his and the unknown world of the Lowlands. Perfect for readers ages 10 to 14 who enjoy a fast-paced story packed with action, fantasy, and humor. Views: 52