Elizabeth Black is the headmistress of a girls' school and a well-respected author of "silver-fork" novels, stories written both for and about the upper-class ladies of Victorian society. But by night, she writes very different kinds of stories—the Penny Dreadfuls that are all the rage among the working-class men. Under the pseudonym Mr. King, Elizabeth has written about dashing heroes fighting supernatural threats and dangerous outlaws romancing helpless women. They contain all the adventure and mystery that her real life lacks. Fletcher Walker began life as a street urchin, but is now the most successful author in the Penny Dreadful market, that is until Mr. King started taking all of his readers—and his profits. No one knows who King is, including Fletcher's fellow members of the Dread Penny Society, a fraternity of authors dedicated to secretly fighting for the rights of the less-fortunate. Determined to find the elusive Mr. King, Fletcher... Views: 86
An engaging adventure from a Newbery Honor-winning storyteller for readers who love the circus, and anyone who has dreamed of finding the perfect home.Four orphans have escaped from the Home for Friendless Children. One is Lucy, who used to talk and sing. No one knows why she doesn't speak anymore; silence is her protection. The orphans find work and new friends at a traveling circus. Lucy loves caring for the elephants, but she must be able to speak to them, and to warn others of danger. If Lucy doesn't find her voice, she'll be left behind when the circus goes on the rails. Meanwhile, people are searching for Lucy, and her puzzling past is about to catch up with her. This lively, heartwarming novel by the award-winning author of the Tales from Alcatraz series is full of marvels and surprises. Views: 86
Praise for Joan Aiken:"Joan Aiken's invention seemed inexhaustible, her high spirits a blessing, her sheer storytelling zest a phenomenon. She was a literary treasure, and her books will continue to delight for many years to come."Philip Pullman"Aiken writes with the genius of a born storyteller, with mother wit expanded and embellished by civilized learning, and with the brilliance of an avenging angel."The New YorkerJoan Aiken's stories captivated readers for fifty years. They're funny, smart, gentle, and occasionally very, very scary. The stories in The Monkey's Wedding are collected here for the very first time and include six never before published, as well as two previously published under the pseudonym Nicholas Dee. Here you'll find the story of a village for sale . . . or is the village itself the story? There's an English vicar who declares on his deathbed that he might have lived an entirely different life. After his... Views: 86
"I believe it's one of the best series of its kind."Six books and a century of time travel. Rachel Hines is lost in time. How will she find her way back to her real life? Touchstone Season 1 is a moving saga that has won rave reviews from young and old readers alike with its intelligent blend of time travel, science fiction and historical fantasy.In a small corner of an English city, dirt poor Rachel Hines and rich kid Danny Pearce are a pair of History students whose destinies become entangled when an old gravestone catapults them into their city's dark past - a gritty, violent, gaslit world of real danger - where they find that every action has an unforeseen consequence that can ripple through generations, and that some characters from the past have seen them before."If you haven't read this series yet — you simply must! But beware — you will be hooked!!"This Ebook Box Set edition contains all six novels in Touchstone Season 1, comprising over a quarter of a million words, and 1000 pages in the original paperback editions."Had me hooked from start to finish... It's a magnificent story."Contains the following titles:1. The Sins of the Fathers [1912]2. Family at War [1940]3. All the Time in the World [1966]4. Station at the End of Time [1959]5. Let's Fall in Love for the Last Time [1934]6. Fade to Grey [1980] Views: 85
“A wonderful love story . . . Buchanan weaves Niagara Falls’ history and her storytelling together masterfully.”—*Elle *Niagara Falls. The dawn of the hydroelectric power era. Seventeen-year-old Bess Heath, who has led a sheltered existence as the younger daughter of the director of the Niagara Power Company, meets Tom Cole by chance on a trolley platform and finds herself inexplicably drawn to him—against her family’s strong objections. Tom is not from their world. Rough-hewn and fearless, he lives off what the river provides and has an uncanny ability to predict the whims of the falls. His daring river rescues render him a local hero and cast him as a threat to the power companies who seek to harness the power of the falls for themselves. As the paths of Bess and Tom become entwined, Bess must make a painful choice between what she wants and what is best for her family and her future.From Publishers WeeklySet against the backdrop of WWI and Niagara Falls, this debut tells the story of young Bess Heath and her struggle to navigate a quickly modernizing world. A child of privilege, Bess sees her fortunes change when her father loses his job. Cast into poverty, her family disgraced, Bess tries to hold things together while her sister slips into depression, her father drinks and her mother withdraws. After another tragedy strikes, Bess finds comfort in the love of Tom Cole, a river man with a mysterious connection to the falls. Overcoming the deep privation of the war and their own limited means, the two begin building a life together and renew their commitment to each other and their family. Based loosely on the history of Niagara river man William Red Hill, the book incorporates mock newspaper articles with limited success, but does integrate some detailed depictions of domestic life and fascinating natural history into an otherwise uneventful romance. (Sept.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review"As much a love story between author and river as between star-crossed central characters." ---USA Today Views: 85
I am in the midst of a conundrum.Viola is finally where she belongs—back home in Brooklyn, where there are no khakis or sherbet-colored sweaters and people actually think her yellow flats are cool. With two whole months of nothing to do but hang with her two best friends, Andrew and Caitlin, this is going to be the best break ever!But her BFFAA, Andrew, has started acting weird around her, and a new boyfriend has her friend Caitlin ditching her every chance she gets. When Viola's roommates from Prefect Academy show up for a visit, she starts to wonder—is Brooklyn where she wants to stay? When a tragic event shakes everyone's world, Viola realizes it's not where she belongs that matters—it's who she's with that really counts.In this heartwarming follow-up to bestselling author Adriana Trigiani's teen debut, Viola in Reel Life, Viola just may be ready to get out from behind her trusty video camera and take the starring role in her own life. Views: 85
The Paget Family Saga comes to a riveting conclusion in this historical romance reissue from legendary author Joan AikenLove and scandal are close on her heels... Ellen Paget moves to Paris, longing to flout convention and spread her wings in Society. She wants nothing to do with the charming Hon. Benedict Masham, an old family friend who's made it his business to look after her welfare. But when tragedy and scandal force Ellen back to England, it takes all her ingenuity to keep her family safe, and Benedict's steadfast help and unwavering support are suddenly indispensable... What readers love about The Paget Family saga: "Romance and high adventure." "Cracking entertainment." "Vivid vocabulary and vibrant imagery." "A relatable, believable heroine.""Period romance full of thrills and chills." Views: 85
Fans of Hannah Howell and Diana Gabaldon will love this Scottish romance that combines a "knockout love story with an action-packed plot" (Booklist) as a Highland laird risks his own life to rescue the daughter of his sworn enemy. She is the daughter of his sworn enemy.Famed for his fierceness, Laird Robert Grant is above all a loyal Highland clan chief. But when redcoats capture his rival's daughter, he sets aside their feud and races to her rescue. Aye, Janet Cameron is beautiful, cunning, and so very tempting, but a Cameron lass is the last woman he should ever desire. He is her one hope of happiness.Janet refuses to meekly surrender, not even when surrounded by foes. She takes every chance to escape, first from the English soldiers and then from the wickedly handsome Robert. Yet with each day they spend together, his unexpected gallantry chips away at her reserve little by little. As danger and treachery... Views: 85
Refuge for Masterminds is the third installment in the Stranje House series for young adults by award-winning author Kathleen Baldwin. #1 New York Times best-selling author Meg Cabot calls this romantic Regency adventure "completely original and totally engrossing."It's 1814. Napoleon has escaped his imprisonment on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And at Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, five young ladies are secretly being trained for a world of spies, diplomacy, and war....Napoleon's invasion of England is underway and someone at Stranje House is sneaking information to his spies, Lady Daneska and Ghost. Lady Jane Moore is determined to find out who it is. If anyone can discover the traitor, it it is Jane—for, according to headmistress Emma Stranje, Lady Jane is a mastermind.Jane doesn't consider herself a mastermind. It's just that she has a rather excessive bent toward the... Views: 85
