From one of England's most celebrated writers, the author of the award-winningThe History Boys, a funny and superbly observed novella about the Queen of England and the subversive power of readingWhen her corgis stray into a mobile library parked near Buckingham Palace, the Queen feels duty-bound to borrow a book. Discovering the joy of reading widely (from J. R. Ackerley, Jean Genet, and Ivy Compton-Burnett to the classics) and intelligently, she finds that her view of the world changes dramatically. Abetted in her newfound obsession by Norman, a young man from the royal kitchens, the Queen comes to question the prescribed order of the world and loses patience with the routines of her role as monarch. Her new passion for reading initially alarms the palace staff and soon leads to surprising and very funny consequences for the country at large.

"Hornblower and the Atropos" skippering the flagship for Nelson's funeral on the Thames is not Hornblower's idea of thrilling action. But soon his orders come, and he sets sail for the Mediterranean in the Atropos. 'Battle, storm, shipwreck, disease - what were the chances that he would never come back again?' "The happy return" Hornblower sails the South American waters and comes face to face with a mad, messianic revolutionary in a novel that ripples with risk and gripping adventure. "a ship of the line" commando raids, hurricanes at sea, the glowering menace of Napoleon's onshore gun batteries - Hornblower must deal with them all as he sails his ship to the Spanish station. Throughout his escapades Forester remains gallant, resourceful and courageous - the embodiment of all the most vivid in a great naval tradition.

Gritty. Gripping. Unforgettable. Just before Danny Cadogan's fourteenth birthday, his father leaves. Having drunkenly run up a gambling debt he cannot pay, Big Dan Cadogan takes the easy way out. He leaves behind his wife and children to face the wrath of the men sent to collect the debt. Determined to protect his mother, brother and sister, something changes in Danny and, overnight, he turns into a young man set on making his way in a violent and dangerous world. He becomes a Face. Not just a Face, but the most feared Face in the Smoke. Out for all he can get. At any cost. But Danny's ruthlessness on the streets of London doesn't stop at his front door. He rules his wife, Mary, and his children, with an iron will - and his fists. But if Mary breaks her silence, it could shake Danny's criminal empire; right to the very core. And for a Face at the top of his game, there's only one way to go. Down. Because, after all, debts can be paid without money.Set in the heart of London's criminal gangland, from the seventies right up to the present day, FACES is gritty, gripping and utterly unforgettable.  

Danny Wallace was bored. Just to see what would happen, he placed a whimsical ad in a local London paper. It said, simply, 'Join Me'. Within a month, he was receiving letters and emails from teachers, mechanics, sales reps, vicars, schoolchildren and pensioners - all pledging allegiance to his cause. But no one knew what his cause was. Soon he was proclaimed Leader. Increasingly obsessed and possibly power-crazed Danny risked losing his sanity and his loyal girlfriend. But who could deny the attraction of a global following of devoted joinees? A book about dreams, ambition and the responsibility that comes with power, Join Me is the true story of a man who created a cult by accident, and is proof that whilst some men were born to lead, others really haven't got a clue.

THE SPELLBINDING NINE KINGDOMS SAGA CONTINUES AS A MAGE WITHOUT MAGIC AND A STABLE MAID WITHOUT A HOME FACE THE APPROACHING SHADOWS OF DARKNESS—AND CHOICES THAT WILL CHANGE THEM BOTH FOREVER...Acair of Ceangail, still dodging his reputation as notorious black mage, has undertaken the ultimate quest: ridding the world of a mysterious, terrible dark magic while using no magic of his own. But he never bargained for three maddening complications: attempting to safeguard his beautiful but horse-obsessed companion, Léirsinn; trying not to slay a profoundly irritating prince of Neroche; and slipping in and out of places he knows will spell his doom if he's caught. Léirsinn of Sàraichte simply wants to do what needs to be done—find the makers of various spells and rescue her grandfather. But walking side-by-side with Acair brings a terrible revelation about the magic she needs, and what its price will exact from her soul.Together, Acair...

This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic, timeless works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

The Master of Warlock: A Virginia War Story (1903) by George Cary Eggleston. "The road was a winding, twisting track as it threaded its way through a stretch of old field pines. The land was nearly level at that point, and quite unobstructed, so that there was not the slightest reason that ordinary intelligence could discover for the roadway's devious wanderings. It might just as well have run straight through the pine lands. But in Virginia people were never in a hurry. They had all of leisure that well-settled and perfectly self-satisfied ways of life could bring to a people whose chief concern it was to live uprightly and happily in that state of existence into which it had pleased God to call them. What difference could it make to a people so minded, whether the journey to the Court-house—the centre and seat of county activities of all kinds—were a mile or two longer or shorter by reason of meaningless curves in the road, or by reason of a lack of them?..."

For many in war-torn 1944, love blossoms in the dance hall, and airman Arty Clarke is no exception. He’s a thinker and a dreamer; however, it’s not the beautiful, talented dancer in his arms—his best friend Jean—who inspires his dreams. For when his gaze meets that of Technical Sergeant Jim Johnson, Arty dares to imagine a different dance.For many in war-torn 1944, love blossoms in the dance hall, and airman Arty Clarke is no exception. He’s a thinker and a dreamer; however, it’s not the beautiful, talented dancer in his arms—his best friend Jean—who inspires his dreams. For when his gaze meets that of Technical Sergeant Jim Johnson, Arty dares to imagine a different dance.Their love is forbidden, by both the armed forces and the law, but with Jean’s cunning and support, Arty and Jim try to bridge the distance between them and find true love despite the danger and a life-threatening disaster that could destroy Arty’s dreams for good.Can the pair stand strong together, no matter how many skies have fallen?----Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Romance.Part of Love is an Open Road (Don't Read in the Closet 2015), based on the prompt:Life isn’t a fairy tale. These two know that better than most. These men are survivors. Against all odds, they made it through hardships, separation, and war. They clung to hope where little existed and, as the skies fell around them and the world was torn apart, found strength in loving each other.Suddenly, the war was over. Battlefields lay silent and troops prepared for the journey home. These two were more than ready. They had experienced enough loss, grief, and pain to last ten lifetimes. The country they left behind may not have been ready to accept them, but they were prepared to live no matter how many skies had fallen.You can tell me the story of how these men met, but what I really want to know is what happened to these men after this photo was taken. Did their love endure the trials of a return to civilian life? Were they able to overcome the trauma of war and find peace together?Sincerely,Tiffany

Women workers and a young union organizer find danger not just from the boss but in the work itself.Women workers and a young union organizer in an electronics plant find danger not just from the boss but in the work itself.

The South Pacific - 1942When most of Matt Turner's fighter squadron is destroyed by Japanese Zeroes with demonic protection, he expects his after-action report to land him in the loony bin. Instead, he finds himself recruited by a shadowy government agency to test a supernatural countermeasure before the Japanese strike a deathblow against the U.S. Navy and win the war in the Pacific theater.The South Pacific - 1942When most of Matt Turner's fighter squadron is destroyed by Japanese Zeroes with demonic protection, he expects his after-action report to land him in the loony bin. Instead, he finds himself recruited by a shadowy government agency to test a supernatural countermeasure before the Japanese strike a deathblow against the U.S. Navy and win the war in the Pacific theater.Other pulp horror stories in The Big Weird One series:With The FishesOperation Perseus

A nameless cat lives in a town of dry, unhappy people devoid of moisture, joy and creativity. How did the townspeople get this way? Who stole the moisture? And how can one crafty cat return moisture--and life--to his town?A nameless cat lives in a town of dry, unhappy people devoid of moisture, joy and creativity. How did the townspeople get this way? Who stole the moisture? And how can one crafty cat return moisture--and life--to his town? "The Cat That Made Nothing Something Again" tells the tale of how a feline hero discovers these answers. On his journey he overcomes obstacles with wit and determination, finds new friends in unexpected places and learns the simple joy--and transcendent power--of helping others.

glittering jewels, deadened brides, corpse doll collectors, and doomed fairy sprites. a small collection from my home, blog, and mind. come take a look and find something you like. :3TitlesAbsinthe, My Creepy Bride, The Waiting Lady, Tandem, The Breath, Ophelia!, Juggernaut, Cuts so Deep, Trapped within the Asylum, Untitled One, Bloodlust, Numinous, Post Mortem, I Watched You Die, Tokyo's Neon Lights, The Shadow of Me, Cameraman, Divination, Sugar, Dark Garden, Death's Apprentice, Emily, Circumstance, Sire Sympathy, What is Tearing us Apart, Demon in Me

An Unusual BeginningA billboard on the side of a Seattle road is common enough--but one advertising for a bride? It's Chase Goodwin's solution to the problem of finding a wife quickly, a wife to bring home to Alaska. Lesley Campbell has her own reasons for responding...and in no time she's the Bride Wanted in Chase's life!