Mike is different to other children. He has a very-slightly-older twin sister, Layla, and a beloved father who is fantastically fanatical about trains. Without anyone to look after Dad -- terribly lonely and struggling to find enough money to get them by -- Mike knows he has to do something about it. Join this warm and humours family tale that has many detours and stop-offs along its journey - - -Mike is different to other children. For a start, he has a very-slightly-older twin sister, Layla, and a beloved father who is insanely-crazily-mad about trains. But also, because he carries a feeling of guilt for what happened to his mother.Without anyone to look after Dad, who is terribly lonely and struggling to find enough money to get them by, he knows he has to do something about it. But with rotten and disgusting smells following him at every turn he feels lost when things don’t quite turn out as planned - - - Join this warm and humorous family tale that has many detours and stop-offs along its journey and a host of colourful characters, as Mike and Layla try their best to make Dad happy again. For young and older readers alike. A debut children’s book from L. P. Donnelli.

World Cup Dreams is a challenge that author Chris Harvey set himself during the FIFA World Cup of Brazil in 2014. To bring together his love of writing and football he decide to write a short story or poem of between 300 and 500 words every day of the World Cup. The challenge was successfully completed and this book contains all thirty two short stories released durng the World Cup.World Cup Dreams is a challenge that author Chris Harvey set himself during the FIFA World Cup of Brazil in 2014. To bring together his love of writing and football he decide to write a short story or poem of between 300 and 500 words every day of the World Cup. The challenge was successfully completed and this book contains all thirty two short stories along with details of results for each day of the World Cup. The stories look at football from many different perspectives such as fans who love the game, those that hate it, managers, players and referees. It is a fun and insightful look at football from the angle of a fan, a fan who is trying to understand the beautiful game from other peoples' points of view.

Jack Wharton witnessed something beautiful, and yet impossible. In pursuit of an explanation, he explores a terrain just outside his front door that he’s never quite noticed before… and discovers quite a bit about himself as well. Set in elegant Marblehead, Massachusetts, A Dance with Tilly follows 14-year-old Jack as he moves briskly through the bewitching worlds of ghosts, grief and girls.Jack Wharton witnessed something beautiful, and yet impossible. In pursuit of an explanation, he explores a terrain just outside his front door that he’s never quite noticed before… and discovers quite a bit about himself as well. A 5,000-word story set in elegant Marblehead, Massachusetts, A Dance with Tilly follows 14-year-old Jack as he moves briskly through the bewitching worlds of ghosts, grief, and that perennial hair-raiser, girls.The story then continues in Jack & Tilly, a 51,000-word novel written after numerous requests to the author for a sequel. Set 18 months after A Dance with Tilly, Jack finally shares the secrets he learned when he was 14. What ensues is an exhilarating race for answers. Jack strives to balance his home life, his world at school, and his relationship with Tilly as the alluring pull of the past threatens to topple everything he values in the present.

Book 1 of 4. Discovering half his heritage is not of this world, Mitchell Harper - a Half-Daemon - must band together with his fellow Half-Breeds to stop a future he has foreseen. Dive into the supernatural as 'Half-Breed' retells the story of Angels & Demons and explores what it truly means to be good... or evil.Book 1 in The Half-Breed Series.Everyday life is a mundane blur, trekking Mitchell Harper from one boring day to the next; a blessing for this introverted teenager.Overcome by a crippling anxiety, Mitchell is forced to go about his business unnoticed; hidden beneath the radar, knowing adventure and excitement only bring drama, the likes his fragile mind cannot take.But this is not to last, as his life is thrown into turmoil when he, along with his twin brother Matthew, discover that half their heritage is not of this world. With Matthew acquiring the supernatural gifts of the Celestials – an ancient race of strong, powerful beings – and Mitchell with those of the Daemons – a rival race imbued with unmatched intelligence – these 'impossible twins' find themselves caught up in a secret that has been living alongside us since the beginning of time, forcing them into a fate they cannot run from.With time ticking away, pushing them ever closer to the visions Mitchell has foreseen, the twins must team up with their fellow Half-Breeds in order to stop an upcoming threat – Mitchell's worst nightmare... himself. Diving into the supernatural, yet keeping itself with a sense of normality, Half-Breed tells a tale of Angels vs. Demons in a fresh new way, exploring the true meaning of being good… and evil.

Gaylord was imprisoned. He wanted to be a real cat, but trapped in an apartment, his dream of roaming free and determining his own fate seemed impossible.Then, one day Harriet left a door open and he escaped to the streets and alleys. A tenderfoot, he was terrified. Then, pretty Adele came into his life and they fell in love. She became his mentor and changed his life forever.Gaylord felt imprisoned. He wanted to be a real cat, but held in Harriet and Ned's apartment stopped him from realizing his dream of roaming free and determining his own life.When Harriet left a door open one day, he escaped and headed for the streets and alleys. A tenderfoot, he had never hunted or killed to stay alive, so he was terrified. Then, pretty Adele came into his life and they fell in love. An experienced alley cat, she agreed to be his mentor and teach him how to survive. After introducing him to Chubby, the clowder's senior tom, his life changed forever. He was truly free.

In the northern kingdom of Illrycharra the world of a young peasant boy Saul is thrown into chaos and death that will set him upon the path to greatness.In the northern kingdom of Illrycharra the world of a young peasant boy Saul is thrown into chaos and death that will set him upon the path to greatness. In the Elven mountain city of Elrurith, Cuhullin, daughter of the Surlord struggles to escape her inevitable doom, as does Luithuilin, a prince of Lar Riocht, who has only known fear and rejection since birth. In the great city of Ystwryth, the pre-eminant power of the Dwarven Highlands, the power struggle between Owain, the High-King’s most trusted friend and Manawadyn, the High-King’s brutal and power-hungry son, is coming to a head, threatening to embroil of the Highlands into a bloody civil war. As events spiral out of control across the lands of the Elves, Dwarves and man a shadow is growing in the north. An ancient god is waking from his slumber and the Orlockan nations, the greatest of the Sakhm’Yvar, are once more flocking to his banner. In the backdrop of this coming struggle between good and evil lies a highly complex world of diverse peoples and kingdoms, each with their own unique culture, history and mythology.

Rachel draws corpses for a living. Consequently, her and her husband’s move to a creepy mansion deep in the Appalachian Mountains seemed like a dream come true. However, when intrusive neighbors, odd occurrence, and the secrets of the Hadley House begin to reveal their sinister nature, Rachel discovers what was once an inspiration to her art could mean the end of her sanity… and her life.Between birth and death resides the short glow of an ember known as life. For centuries artists have sought to convey depictions of life’s brief moments using various forms. Their efforts have produced splendid works that are still marveled at today, but to one degree or another they lacked a realism and authenticity that would not come about until 1839 with the public unveiling of the daguerreotype. From that moment on photography would revolutionize the world by capturing the essence of life like nothing else before. And one Pennsylvania man would extend the reaches of this technology to blur the very lines between life and death at his humble studio at 23 Forster Street.

No one can escape their destiny in a world controlled by the Fates. Ancient prophecies are the means by which the gods maintain order. Whether pauper or king, each life becomes a pawn in a dangerous game of control, where moving pieces determines the course of all living beings.No one can escape their destiny in a world controlled by the Fates. Ancient prophecies are the means by which the gods maintain order. Whether pauper or king, each life becomes a pawn in a dangerous game of control, where moving pieces determines the course of all living beings. The Blood King’s sudden death in the night triggers a foreboding prophecy of dark times, as it is foretold that his unknown Heir would awaken to the dark magic of his blood and enslave the Eleven Kingdoms. Soldiers bring destruction to the countryside seeking the Heir Of The Blood King. Adam escapes the fires of the peaceful village of Riverside in the night when the soldiers laid waste to his adopted home. With his fate uncertain, the unskilled orphan must fight for his freedom against dangerous enemies who give pursuit as he searches for the answers to his past. Adam is also faced with the challenges of survival against the untamed wilderness and its dark denizens as he tries to avoid a destiny he does not want. “The Heir Of The Blood King will rise, this has been divined.” - Ancient prophecy of the Seering Council. “Heir Of The Blood King” is the first installment of the ongoing, action-packed, Young Adult fantasy, survival series, Adventures of Adam.

Twenty Four WeeksEpisode 10"Twenty One"The Altmans come to dinner… A marriage seminar gets Quinn thinking…“I made promises to you and I broke them so easily.”“I don’t think it was easy for you. I think you fought against it as long as you could.”“Maybe. But I could have been stronger.”“If I’d given a damn about you then you would have been.”Twenty Four WeeksEpisode 10"Twenty One"The Altmans come to dinner… A marriage seminar gets Quinn thinking…“I made promises to you and I broke them so easily.”“I don’t think it was easy for you. I think you fought against it as long as you could.”“Maybe. But I could have been stronger.”“If I’d given a damn about you then you would have been.”Still reeling from the shock of discovering his wife's infidelity, Judd Altman learns that he has lost his father and will be one himself. His soon to be ex-wife, Quinn, is pregnant with his child.After almost losing the baby, Wade (Judd's old boss and Quinn's lover) realizes the truth about himself and his relationship with Quinn and leaves her. Judd, in the face of Quinn's situation, forgives her, but cannot reconcile their marriage.With nothing but a stolen Porsche, Judd drives to Maine with limitless possibilities. A man with nothing has nothing to lose, and a man with nothing to lose can do anything.Twenty Four Weeks begins with Judd's time of reflection in Maine and his eventual decision to return to New York City, to take back the life that has been so cruelly taken from him. Sometimes humorous, this bitter-sweet tale is full of hope, love and forgiveness.With characters and back story based on the novel "This is Where I Leave You" by Jonathan Tropper, Twenty Four Weeks is set after the events of the movie of the same name.

Nobel Prize winner and author of One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez blends the natural with supernatural in Of Love and Other Demons - a novel which explores community, superstition and collective hysteria. 'An ash-grey dog with a white blaze on its forehead burst on to the rough terrain of the market on the first Sunday of December' When a witch doctor appears on the Marquis de Casalduero's doorstep prophesising a plague of rabies in the Colombian seaport, he dismisses her claims - until he hears that his young daughter, Sierva Maria, was one of four people bitten by a rabid dog, and the only one to survive. Sierva Maria appears completely unscathed - but as rumours of the plague spread, the Marquis and his wife wonder at her continuing good health. In a town consumed by superstition, it's not long before they, and everyone else, put her survival down to a demonic possession and begin to see her supernatural powers as the cause of the town's woes. Only the young priest charged with exorcizing the evil spirit recognises the girl's sanity, but can he convince the town that it's not her that needs healing? 'Superb and intensely readable' Time Out 'A compassionate, witty and unforgettable masterpiece' Daily Telegraph 'At once nostalgic and satiric, a resplendent fable' Sunday Times

A Confession -- an essay by Leo Tolstoy on his religious thoughts -- shows the great author in process of looking for answers to profound questions that trouble all who take them on: "What will come of my life?" and "What is the meaning of life?" these are questions whose answers were an absolute requirement for Tolstoy. In the course of the essay, Tolstoy shows different attempts to find answers on the examples of science, philosophy, eastern wisdom and the opinions of his fellow novelists. . . . finding no workable solution in any of these, Tolstoy recognizes the deep religious convictions of ordinary people as containing the key to true answers. The first attempt at its publication took place in 1882 (Russkaya Mysl, No 5), but Tolstoy's work was removed virtually from the whole edition of the journal by Orthodox Church censorship. The text was later published in Geneva (1884), in Russia as late as 1906 (Vsemirnyj Vestnik, No 1).

One step forward. Two steps back. The Tufts scholarship that put Nora Stuart on the path to becoming a Boston medical specialist was a step forward. Being hit by a car and then overhearing her boyfriend hit on another doctor when she thought she was dying? Two major steps back. Injured in more ways than one, Nora feels her carefully built life cracking at the edges. There's only one place to land: home. But the tiny Maine community she left fifteen years ago doesn't necessarily want her. At every turn, someone holds the prodigal daughter of Scupper Island responsible for small-town drama and big-time disappointments. With a tough islander mother who's always been distant and a wild-child sister in jail, unable to raise her daughter--a withdrawn teen as eager to ditch the island as Nora once was--Nora has her work cut out for her if she's going to take what might be her last chance to mend the family. But as some relationships crumble around her, others unexpectedly strengthen. Balancing loss and opportunity, a dark event from her past with hope for the future, Nora will discover that tackling old pain makes room for promise...and the chance to begin again.

Mickey Bolitar's year can't get much worse. After witnessing his father's death and sending his mom to rehab, he's forced to live with his estranged uncle Myron and switch high schools. A new school comes with new friends and new enemies, and lucky for Mickey, it also comes with a great new girlfriend, Ashley. For a while, it seems like Mickey's train-wreck of a life is finally improving - until Ashley vanishes without a trace. Unwilling to let another person walk out of his life, Mickey follows Ashley's trail into a seedy underworld that reveals that this seemingly sweet, shy girl isn't who she claimed to be. And neither was Mickey's father. Soon, Mickey learns about a conspiracy so shocking that it makes high school drama seem like a luxury - and leaves him questioning everything about the life he thought he knew. First introduced to readers in Harlan Coben's latest adult novel, *Live Wire*, Mickey Bolitar is as quick-witted and clever as his uncle Myron, and eager to go to any length to save the people he cares about. With this new series, Coben introduces an entirely new generation of fans to the masterful plotting and wry humor that have made him an award-winning, internationally bestselling, and beloved author.

Did J. Edgar Hoover die a natural death? Or was he murdered? When a group of high-minded and high-placed intellectuals known as Inver Brass detect a monstrous threat to the country in Hoover’s unethical use of his scandal-ridden private files, they decide to do away with him—quietly, efficiently, with no hint of impropriety. Then bestselling thriller writer Peter Chancellor stumbles onto information that makes his previous books look like harmless fairy tales. Now Chancellor and Inver Brass are on a deadly collision course, spiraling across the globe in an ever-widening arc of violence and terror. All roads lead to a showdown that will rip the nation’s capital apart—leaving only one damning document to survive. Praise for Robert Ludlum and The Chancellor Manuscript   “[The Chancellor Manuscript*] exerts a riveting appeal, as it seems to justify our worst nightmares of what really goes on in the so-called intelligence community in Washington.”—The New York Times Book Review “Ludlum stuffs more surprises into his novels than any other six-pack of thriller writers combined.”—The New York Times  * “Powerhouse momentum . . . as shrill as the siren on the prowl car.” —Kirkus Reviews   “A complex scenario of inventive double-crossing.”—Chicago Sun-Times BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Identity.

Wedding dress designer and boutique owner Bianca Bradshaw always plays by the rules—until Sergei. The Russian behemoth broke down the walls guarding her heart as easily as he kicked down her front door. After a wild, passionate love affair that's the talk of Houston's underworld leaves them facing an unplanned but very much wanted pregnancy, Bianca can't imagine a single day without Sergei in her life—and in her bed. Freed from the clutches of the Russian mob by her tenacious love, former enforcer and prize fighter Sergei Sakharov intends to give Bianca exactly what she wants. He's going to make that luscious, curvy beauty his wife and spend the rest of his life making her happy. Or, at least, that's the plan. But Sergei quickly learns that no one ever really gets out of the life. When unfinished business threatens the family he's trying to build with the woman who forever holds his heart, he'll have to make a hard choice. To protect his pregnant wife, there is no line Sergei won't cross.

Sixteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured and brought before him. Eager to hide her own canny skill--a uniquely powerful ability to communicate with the fairy-like Good Folk--Neryn sets out for the legendary Shadowfell, a home and training ground for a secret rebel group determined to overthrow the evil King Keldec. During her dangerous journey, she receives aid from the Good Folk, who tell her she must pass a series of tests in order to recognize her full potential. She also finds help from a handsome young man, Flint, who rescues her from certain death--but whose motives in doing so remain unclear. Neryn struggles to trust her only allies. They both hint that she alone may be the key to Alban's release from Keldec's rule. Homeless, unsure of who to trust, and trapped in an empire determined to crush her, Neryn must make it to Shadowfell not only to save herself, but to save Alban.ReviewStarred Review, Publishers Weekly, August 6, 2012:“For those that wish that Tolkien had explored the character of Aragorn more deeply, Marillier provides the next best thing.” About the AuthorJULIET MARILLIER is the author of several highly popular fantasy novels for adults, including the Sevenwaters Trilogy and the Bridei Chronicles. She is also the author of the teen novels Wildwood Dancing and Cybele's Secret.

The final volume in the epic Riftwar Cycle. The dragons are calling... Civil war is tearing apart the Kingdom of the Isles, for the throne lies empty and rivals are converging. Having spirited his beloved Princess Stephane safely out of Roldem, Hal -now Duke of Crydee- must turn his attention to the defence of the ancient realm so that a king can be anointed by the Congress of Lords, rather than by right of might. But the greatest threat may well lie out of the hands of men. Somewhere in the Grey Towers Mountains something not of this world is emerging. It will require that alliances be made between mortal enemies if disaster is to be averted. Elves and men must stand together, ancient heroes must rise again, dragons must fly and Pug, Magnus and the other magic-users of Midkemia must be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice if the whole world is to be saved.

The ocean is dying. The sea is growing warmer and is gradually rising. Seashells have become so rare that collecting them is now a national obsession. Flawless specimens sell like priceless works of art. Families hunt the tideline in the dark of night with flashlights. Crowds gather on beaches at the lowest of tides, hoping to get lucky. Supreme among these collectors is Ness Wilde, CEO of Ocean Oil. Ness owns many of the best beaches, and he keeps them to himself. It's his fault the world turned out this way. And I aim to destroy him. My name is Maya Walsh. You might be familiar with my shelling column in the Times. I was working on a series of pieces about Mr. Wilde, when out of the blue, he called. He says he wants to talk. But I don't think he's going to like what I have to say.

The bestselling novel by Tana French, author of The Witch Elm, is “required reading for anyone who appreciates tough, unflinching intelligence and ingenious plotting” (The New York Times). She “inspires cultic devotion in readers” (The New Yorker) and is “the most important crime novelist to emerge in the past 10 years” (The Washington Post). “Atmospheric and unputdownable.” —People** In bestselling author Tana French’s newest “tour de force” (The New York Times), being on the Murder Squad is nothing like Detective Antoinette Conway dreamed it would be. Her partner, Stephen Moran, is the only person who seems glad she’s there. The rest of her working life is a stream of thankless cases, vicious pranks, and harassment. Antoinette is savagely tough, but she’s getting close to the breaking point. Their new case looks like yet another by-the-numbers lovers’ quarrel gone bad. Aislinn Murray is blond, pretty, groomed-to-a-shine, and dead in her catalog-perfect living room, next to a table set for a romantic dinner. There’s nothing unusual about her—except that Antoinette’s seen her somewhere before. And that her death won’t stay in its neat by-numbers box. Other detectives are trying to push Antoinette and Steve into arresting Aislinn’s boyfriend, fast. There’s a shadowy figure at the end of Antoinetteʼs road. Aislinnʼs friend is hinting that she knew Aislinn was in danger. And everything they find out about Aislinn takes her further from the glossy, passive doll she seemed to be. Antoinette knows the harassment has turned her paranoid, but she can’t tell just how far gone she is. Is this case another step in the campaign to force her off the squad, or are there darker currents flowing beneath its polished surface?

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny used to live alone in a boxcar. Now they have a home with their grandfather, and they’re getting strange notes from a mystery messenger! It’s time for the annual Greenfield art contest, and the Alden children are right in the middle of things, meeting the artists and learning about art! But when they receive a mysterious message signed the “Tattletale,” they realize hat not everything about the art world is as it seems. What could the Tattletale want from the Aldens—and who is this mysterious message-writer? It’s a painting puzzler for the Boxcar Children!

There have been ghosts on the London Underground, sad, harmless spectres whose presence does little more than give a frisson to travelling and boost tourism. But now there's a rash of sightings on the Metropolitan Line and these ghosts are frightening, aggressive and seem to be looking for something. Enter PC Peter Grant junior member of the Metropolitan Police's Special Assessment unit a.k.a. The Folly a.k.a. the only police officers whose official duties include ghost hunting. Together with Jaget Kumar, his counterpart at the British Transport Police, he must brave the terrifying the crush of London's rush hour to find the source of the ghosts. Joined by Peter's wannabe wizard cousin, a preschool river god and Toby the ghost hunting dog their investigation takes a darker tone as they realise that a real person's life might just be on the line. And time is running out to save them. With this new novella, bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch has crafted yet another wickedly funny and surprisingly affecting chapter in his beloved Rivers of London series.