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We begin with a trip of inheritance and self-discovery through Taipei, before contemplating the life of an unravelling mind whilst jetsetting across Europe. The eccentric lives of an mythical community that reflects our own world, the visceral character study of one man post American Civil War, and a devastating retelling of Arthurian legend - all await us in this week's publications. Plus, we take a closer look at stunning deluxe and collector's editions, from dark academia to iconic fantasy, classic literature and cosy Japanese fiction, ahead of the gifting season. |
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Featured Fiction & Poetry |
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First love. Second language. Final goodbyes. |
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Taipei Story
by R. F. Kuang
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HARDBACK |
Rebecca Kuang, the literary phenomenon behind Yellowface, returns with an electric new novel about family, heritage, culture and the desire for connection. Yale student Lily Chen arrives in Taipei hungry for all these things before her summer of self-discovery starts to unravel. With gruelling classes, an unbearable roommate and a reckless, awkward trip to the hot springs with a guy she barely knows, she's surrounded by vicious gossip when the news of her grandfather's passing comes. Grieving and adrift, Lily must confront questions about the culture she inherited but never fully understood, as she embarks on a wryly funny, often devastating search for understanding in one unforgettable summer in Taipei. |
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"A sophisticated coming-of-age story"
The Times
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Babel
Deluxe Collector's Edition
by R.F. Kuang
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Babel took the world by storm, captivating readers with its richly imagined alternate history of Oxford, and its exploration of language and colonialism. Now, this modern dark academia classic has been reimagined in a luxurious collector's edition. Its features include a foil-stamped faux leather package, patterned endpapers, stencilled edges, a ribbon marker and luxe paper, and seven stunning spreads of original black-and-white illustrations by artist Nico Delort. The world of Babel is brought to life like never before in this exquisite edition. |
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Switzy
by Emma Cline
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HARDBACK |
A private plane cuts through the night. David, a retired executive, sits back, playing solitaire on his phone. In his pocket is a notebook filled with urgent reminders - but he can no longer read his own handwriting. Travelling with his assistant, they head for dinner in London with his daughter, a meeting in France with an old friend. His final destination: a clinic in Zurich. As he glides through hotels and airports, David's grasp on the present slips away, the past rushing in. With his final destination looming, Emma Cline, author of The Girls, pens a magnificent portrait of an unravelling mind. Long-listed for this year's Booker Prize, Switzy examines what a man is left with when the accomplishments that have defined him, and the illusions he's relied on, vanish. |
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"A perfect novel, one that goes to the places only novels can go."
Samantha Harvey, author of Orbital
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The Newer World
Signed
by Sebastian Barry
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HARDBACK |
Sebastian Barry, the bestselling author behind novel Days Without End, is back with an immersive and unforgettable story of one man's life in the aftermath of the American Civil War. Against this rapidly shifting landscape, Tennyson Bouguereau - freed man, devoted brother, nascent singer, conflicted soldier and wanted man - journeys to find meaning and belonging. From the safety of home in Tennessee with his sister, Rosalee, he's offered the possibility of a new life in Nashville, until a surprising trip to Victorian England changes everything, in this lyrical and visceral novel, rich with vivid characters, about what it is to survive and what might be lost along the way. |
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"A novel you settle into with a feeling of deep satisfaction, knowing you're in the company of a master."
Benjamin Wood, author of Seascraper
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We Chase Shadows
by Richard Osman
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HARDBACK |
The follow-up Richard Osman's thrilling, globe-trotting series - beginning with We Solve Murders - returns to be the perfect mystery to escape into this Autumn. In the Italian hills, a body is found on the steps of a private villa at sunrise. Our mismatch detective trio, Amy, Rose and Steve return to catch the elusive and ruthless killer. Between Italy and Palm Springs, via Barcelona and Steve's sleepy village pub, they uncover a seemingly impossible case, where everyone involved is hiding something... |
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Step up, hero, it's time to fight! |
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Fighting Fantasy is Ian Livingstone's iconic, globally bestselling choose-your-own-adventure series. Embark on your quest in Tomb of the Golden Skull, a brand-new tale in the series, or revisit a classic in City of Thieves - both available in a stunning deluxe foiled hardback.
Part story, part game - pure adventure!
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Tomb of the Golden Skull
Signed
by Ian Livingstone
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HARDBACK |
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Feast your eyes on a brand-new adventure in the Fighting Fantasy series!
Allansia is under threat from Valmorka the Spider Demon and her army of Plague Spiders.
In a race against time, you must journey across Arantis and face grave danger to find the legendary Dragonblade and a lost artefact to defeat her.
Are you brave enough to face the terrifying Spider Demon?
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City of Thieves
Signed
by Ian Livingstone
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HARDBACK |
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Are you brave enough to walk the dangerous, dark alleyways of Port Blacksand...?
Put an end to the demonic sorcerer Zanbar Bone's reign of terror by travelling to his dark tower.
But you'll have to make it past the bloodthirsty thieves and creeping creatures of the night who lurk in Port Blacksand first...
Featuring the iconic cover by acclaimed artist Ian McCaig.
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"A new way of telling stories and in many ways the birth of modern gaming, these books captured the imaginations of a generation of kids."
Charlie Higson, author of On His Majesty's Secret Service
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Our Noble Selves
by Kate Atkinson
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Our Noble Selves is a clever and charming tale from one of today's most compelling storytellers, Kate Atkinson, author of Death at the Sign of a Rook.
It's 1951, and everyone is looking to put the dark days of the war behind them. The government's solution: The Festival of Britain, a celebration of the country's creativity and grit. For Harry Flynn - foreign correspondent turned war reporter - it offers a chance at redemption after a terrible war. Failing to resume his journalistic career, he reluctantly joins an oddball team of misfits to ready the festival for launch. Flynn's attempts at a romantic life post-war also flounder when one of his dates goes missing. The last person to see her alive, eyes look to him for an explanation. Little does he realise the answer to his mounting problems may lie in the hands of a precocious thirteen-year old girl and a rather scruffy terrier named Mrs Betty...
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From the author of Practical Magic comes a brand new series, following two young women in 1950s Cambridge Massachusetts, as they become immersed in a mysterious group of witches know as the Lilith Society. |
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The Witches of Cambridge
by Alice Hoffman
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By the 1950s, Cambridge, Massachusetts feels far removed from the legendary witch trials that marked its early days as a colony. Ava, a bright young woman, arrives for her first year at Radcliffe College, meeting Lauren, her opposite in every way, and the daughter of a wealthy, well-established Cambridge family. But the two have more in common than they think. Both are recruited to the Lilith Society, a secret organisation of witches at Radcliffe. As they learn more about their legacy, Ava and Lauren form a close bond that is soon put to the test. While Radcliffe seems like a safe haven, the shadow of McCarthyism looms large, and when girls from the society begin to go missing, Ava and Lauren realise the witch trials of the past may not be as deeply buried as they once believed. |
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"Rich with history, heartbreak and magic, Hoffman's tale of privilege and persecution expertly navigates past and present, reality and fantasy, all of it rendered in brilliant detail...
Utterly spellbinding."
Leigh Bardugo, author of The Familiar
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What You Are Looking for Is in the Library
by Michiko Aoyama (author), Alison Watts (translator)
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HARDBACK |
Tokyo's enigmatic Sayuri Komachi is no ordinary librarian. Sensing exactly what someone is searching for in life, she provides just the book recommendation to help them find it. In this tale, we meet five visitors to the library - the restless retail assistant, the mother faced with demotion, the conscientious accountant, the gifted artist, and the retired salaryman - as each face a crossroads. In this inspiration tale of love, comfort and growth, can Sayuri help them find exactly what they're looking for? Discover the feel-good Japanese bestseller, now available in a glorious hardback edition, with sprayed edges, coloured endpapers, and ten full-page illustrations. Fall into this cosy world where one perfect book recommendation can change your life. |
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Calling all Regency Romantics... |
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With the first three instalments releasing earlier in the year, readers can now collect all eight books in the Deluxe Collector's Edition of Julia Quinn's phenomenal Bridgerton series.
Relive the romances of the Bridgerton siblings in these gorgeous, giftable editions. Featuring beautiful endpapers, a ribbon marker, gorgeous sprayed edges and a decorated spine, a beautiful, picturesque scene is revealed when all eight are shelved together.
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In the Shadow of the Solstice
by Meg Clothier
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HARDBACK |
Meg Clothier brings a devastating reimagining of Arthurian legend, set in the dark and dangerous years after the Romans left Britain. Nin is joining the gilded world of her sister's husband, a powerful man known only as the Bear. It's midwinter and there's victory to celebrate - and where better than at the Hall high above the mists of the Lake. But why does the Lake seem so unsettled? The bonds of love and ambition once united the Family, but as night falls and the shadows lengthen, dark secrets and unruly passions threaten to rip it apart. Then, Nin begins to hear a strange crying, unheard by everyone else. Torn between loyalty and desire, Nin must fight to the death, to uncover a terrible truth, and make it to sunrise alive. |
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"With a voice that's lyrical, playful, and entirely unique, Meg Clothier truly brings the history of King Arthur to life. In the Shadow of the Solstice is a book that pulls you in, and doesn't let you go until the final page."
Phoenicia Rogerson, author of Aphrodite
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The Pirate Queen
by Ariel Lawhon
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Ireland, 1535. The sea is no place for a girl, least of all Grace O'Malley - the only daughter of a powerful chieftain and the family's best hope for securing a strong alliance through childbirth. But something wild stirs in Grace, an yearning that neither her parents - nor the brutal warrior she is forced to marry - can suppress for long. Half a century passes, and the determined girl has defied all expectations. Heir to clan O'Malley's mighty fleet and a formidable mother, Grace is ready to kill to protect her own. So when Queen Elizabeth's incursions into Ireland grow bolder, she is left no choice but to fight to defend her land, her ships and her people. Fiercely written, this sweeping historical adventure of the legendary Irish folk heroine, inspired by the real Grace O'Malley. |
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Out now is a brand-new, deluxe, full-colour illustrated edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's timeless swashbuckling tale - an adventurous new instalment in the
MinaLima Classics series.
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Treasure Island
by Robert Louis Stevenson (author), Minalima Design (Firm) (illustrator)
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HARDBACK |
First published in 1883, the story follows young Jim Hawkins as he sets sail in search of buried treasure, meeting some of the most memorable characters in literary history, from Billy Bones to Long John Silver, in an action-packed expedition of a lifetime that has continued to enthral readers for generations. Now the classic is brought to life, brimming with original illustrations and interactive features. Experience the adventure as never before with seven paper-engineered 3D elements, including the black flag of piracy, ready to be hoisted up a ship's flag pole, and a map of Skeleton Island, unfurling to reveal its secrets. Beautifully designed, this keepsake edition will captivate readers of all ages and is sure to be cherished as a treasure of its own |
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More noteworthy Fiction
hardbacks
published this week...
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Survive an alternate universe and jump into the second instalment of the witty and magic-fuelled He Who Fights With Monsters series, Adventurer. From the bestselling author of Rewitched, Disenchanted is the much-anticipated third novel from Lucy Jane Wood - an utterly magical, heartwarming, cosy fantasy to sweep you off your feet. Set on a drowning continent full of corruption and deception and strange technology, An Empire in the Clouds is a richly envisioned and powerful debut novel from the winner of the Bram Stoker and Nebula Awards. |
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Primeval and Other Times
by Olga Tokarczuk
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PAPERBACK |
For the denizens of mythical Primeval, the world beyond its rivers is nothing more than a dream. Yet their stories - or Times - are a microcosm of the tumultuous recent history of the world. The fortunes of the family of Michal the miller punctuate nearly a century of war and occupation. The outcast, Cornspike, raises her daughter among the spirits of the forest. The squire, Popielski, losing his faith, becomes obsessed with games and dreams. The dramas of Primeval's daily life mark the birth, life and decline if its little world and Time, making us consider afresh the stories that help us comprehend our own. Originally published in 1996, this novel from the Nobel Prize winner and author of Flights, Olga Tokarczuk, is an enduring masterpiece, rich with her signature capaciousness and innovation.
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Among the Burning Flowers
by Samantha Shannon
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PAPERBACK |
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Yscalin - the world of The Priory of the Orange Tree - land of sunshine and lavender, will soon be ablaze.
It's been centuries since the Draconic Army took wing, almost extinguishing humankind. Marosa is a prisoner in her own home, controlled by her father, King Sigoso. Over the mountains, her betrothed, Aubrecht, rules in all but name. Together, they intend to usher in a better world - one that seems impossibly distant to Estina, who hunts the Draconic beasts that are beginning to awaken after centuries. And now the great wyrm Fýredel is stirring - and Yscalin will be the first to fall.
Samantha Shannon brings a story of resilience in the face of dire circumstances, as she leads readers through the gripping events that paved the way for the opening of The Roots of Chaos series.
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"She's in a league of her own - truly the best fantasy there is."
Saara El-Arifi, author of Faebound
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We Love You, Bunny
by Mona Awad
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PAPERBACK |
In Bunny, Samantha Heather Mackey, a outsider at a highly secretive MFA program in New England, was seduced by a clique of her saccharine sweet, rich girl cohort, entering the violently surreal world of their off-campus Workshops where monstrous creations are conjured. When this book opens, Sam has published her first novel to critical acclaim. But at a stop on her book tour, her one-time frenemies, furious at the way they've been portrayed, kidnap her. Now a captive audience, it's her (and our) turn to hear the Bunnies' side of the story. One by one, they take turns recounting the birth of their unholy alliance and the phantasmagoric adventure of conjuring their first creation. Embarking on a wickedly intoxicating journey into the heart of dark academia, this fairy tale slasher explores the wonder and horror of creation itself. |
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"[A] dark, twisted satire of academia and the cultlike world of writers."
New York Times
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How to Use 3,000 Yen
by Hika Harada (author), Alison Watts (translator)
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PAPERBACK ORIGINAL |
What does the way you spend a small amount of money say about your life? Hika Harada has created a warm, wise and deeply relatable story of three generations of women navigating love, family and the quiet anxieties of money. A young woman confronting the fragility of financial independence, a mother managing a household on a single income, a grandmother facing the uncertainty of old age - each must rethink what security, freedom and happiness really mean. As their lives intersect, small everyday choices begin to carry extraordinary weight. Blending gentle humour with sharp insight, this is an uplifting novel offering a fresh perspective on money, modern life and the ties that hold us together, perfect for readers of Before the Coffee Gets Cold. |
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Cast in Doubt
by Lynne Tillman
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PAPERBACK ORIGINAL |
It's 1974. American and English expatriates, artists, and eccentrics find their home in a quiet town on the island of Crete. Among them, Horace Vaughn, an older gay writer who wants to pen the Great American Novel, idles his time away with alcohol. That is, until a young enigmatic American woman named Helen arrives, another outsider, and Horace is soon fascinated by her punk style and elusive pose. But gossip moves fast in the small town. Soon Helen's past begins to catch up without warning, and the surrounding crowd grows to dislike her, even murderous. When Helen vanishes one day, Horace is determined to find her, in this funny and poignant tale from the author of Haunted House. |
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" A true force in American literature. "
George Saunders, author of Vigil
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The Last Witch
by C. J. Cooke
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PAPERBACK |
Innsbruck, 1485. Helena should be doing what every other wealthy young wife is doing: keeping her husband's house and bearing children. But when their footman is found dead, Helena is accused of killing him. Worse, she's accused of being a witch. Imprisoned with six other women, she's plunged into a world of terror. Attempting to escape after a cursed witch totem is smuggled into the prison, the women unleash a malevolent spirit which places all their lies in danger. Does Helena risk her life and the lives of others by standing up to the terrifying witchfinder and risk death at the stake if found guilty? Or is the real threat the world beyond this one…? |
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"A vivid and haunting portrait of a real-life heroine, told in beautifully immersive prose."
Emelia Hart, author of The Sirens
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Eat, Drink and Be Murdered
A Feast of Fatal Fare
by Martin Edwards (editor)
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PAPERBACK |
Prepare to devour a mouth-watering feast of crime fiction, including stories of mushroom murders, brown bread spread with bacillus botulinus, and tales in which the identity of killers is proved by a purchase of fillet steak or an inexpert knowledge of fine wines. This new short story collection from British Library Crime Classics features great mystery tales from the Golden Age of detective fiction, all with the delicious theme of food and drink at the centre of the crime scene. Complete with an introduction from expert editor, anthologist and author Martin Edwards, this anthology is sure to leave readers hungry and wanting more. |
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Esther Is Now Following You
by Tanya Sweeney
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PAPERBACK |
You're the love of Esther's life. You just don't know it yet. Esther first sees Ted walking in a park in London. They lock eyes for a fraction of a second, and she feels something she's never felt before. She begins reading about his life in Canada and his work acting. Then she watches every interview with him online. It isn't long before she's joined Ted's fan site online where her and the 'Tedettes' stalk his every move. When Ted gets a new celebrity girlfriend, Ester decides that things have gone far enough. She leaves her husband, takes all their savings, and buys a one-way ticket to Canada. She knows her and Ted are meant to be together - he just needs a little big of persuading... |
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" Esther is a fantastically nuanced character - Tanya Sweeney has such an eye for detail, the characters leap from the page, bright and alive. Humorous, chilling, and sometimes an uncomfortable read but you’re never not in Esther’s desperate, awkward corner that she has backed herself into."
Cecelia Ahern, author of Paper Heart
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A Day for Bread, Soup and Cats
by Yoko Mure (author), Shanna Tan (translator)
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After her mother's death, Akiko quit her corporate job to transform her beloved izakaya into a café. With a simple, nourishing menu of homemade bread and soup, Akiko wants nothing but to provide her customers with a slice of peace - and delicious cake.
But it isn't always this way. When Akiko's mother was alive the café was rowdy and well-loved, always busy with familiar patrons. Settling into her new life, complicated memories from her past begin to stir. But with a stray tabby cat and a helpful new employee by her side, soon Akiko will discover the healing power of a good meal shared with friends, in this heart-warming, much-loved Japanese bestseller.
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More noteworthy Fiction paperbacks
published this week...
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The highly-anticipated, final book in Penn Cole's sensational slow-burn romantasy series, Burn of the Everflame, ends the series where one woman must risk everything to save all of mortalkind. We have a gorgeous deluxe paperback of Japan's greatest murder mystery, The Honjin Murders, where the only clues to a murder is a bloody samurai sword left in the ground, from the author of Murder at the Black Cat Café. Bramwell's new poetry collection explores the Celtic folklore entity of a Fetch - a shadowy doppelgänger that appears from the Otherworld - meditating on the sacred and the profane, the written and the real, humanity and nature, Scots and English. |
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Featured Graphic Novels & Manga |
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Earth Ever After
by Elin Manon
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PAPERBACK |
In this unique graphic novel, Mother Earth herself narrates a timeless story of growth, change and the delicate balance between humanity and nature. Through lyrical text and captivating illustrations by artist Elin Manon, readers journey from the creation of the Earth and the birth of life to the present day, witnessing the planet's transformation and deep connection with humanity. This enchanting book inspires hope and healing, offering a moment of reflection in our busy, modern lives, encouraging us to think about how we can live more harmoniously with the planet, making it a perfect way to reflect on and explore our relationship with nature. |
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More noteworthy Graphic Novels & Manga published this week |
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Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta's Absolute Batman continues to gain momentum, as The Joker, Poison Ivy, and the Court of Owls join the bestselling series twisting the myth of the Dark Knight.
Fans of the Dragon Quest can now carry-on the adventure of a lifetime in Dragon Knights II, where Dai - with the heart of a hero - sets off on a grand journey to take down the Dark Lord's minions.
The story continues in Kagurabachi. Vol 8, as Chuhiro's cursed past send him down a quest of bloody vengeance, wielding his fathers seventh and final enchanted black on a mission to retrieve his stolen swords.
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SUGGESTED READING AGE 3+ |
The Thieves Beneath the Floorboards
by Mikey Please
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HARDBACK |
When Rene hears gnawing, clawing and scratching sounds from underneath the café, she just can't ignore them. Using every skill she can muster, she lays an elaborate trap. But what she finds will put all of her hopes and dreams in jeopardy… Full of Mikey's unparalleled world-building and imaginative storytelling, rejoin Rene and Glumfoot once again for more folklore figures, culinary escapades and entirely unexpected guests. |
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Explore more adventures of Rene and Glumfoot... |
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SUGGESTED READING AGE 12+ |
These Shattered Spires
by Cassidy Ellis Salter
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PAPERBACK |
Beneath a tooth-filled sky, the world rots. At the heart of this decaying world is Fourspires Castle, home to arcanists from across the four magical disciplines: bone, blood, botany and stone. When the king is assassinated, chaos erupts. To seize the crown, arcanists and their human familiars are dragged into the Slaughter - a deadly competition, where survival means killing and death is the only escape. Amidst the bloodshed, four rivals from each of the magical disciplines must work together. Together, they are not only fighting to survive, but to lift the curse upon their world and unlock the secrets beyond the decay of Fourspires. |
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SUGGESTED READING AGE 14+ |
City of Heavenly Fire
by Cassandra Clare
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HARDBACK |
Celebrate the world of the Shadowhunters with the final addition to The Mortal Instruments's gorgeous Collector's Editions, complete with stunning new cover artwork and bonus content, from the internationally bestselling Cassandra Clare. A must-have gift for any Shadowhunter fan, revisit the magic of the original series with this lavish new hardback edition of City of Heavenly Fire. In the final book in the series, darkness has descended on the Shadowhunter world. Clary, Jace, Simon, and their friends band together to fight the greatest evil they have ever faced... |
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Complete the Collector's Editions |
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More noteworthy Children's & YA published this week |
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Windrush, the heart-stopping story from Benjamin Zephaniah, who shows us what it was like to be a child of the Windrush generation, has been adapted into an impactful graphic novel. Chloe Dalton's brings a new Children's Edition of her bestselling Raising Hare, detailing the story of discovering a newborn baby hare, learning how to feed it, and the lasting friendship that formed. Are You Still Watching? is a brand-new, high-concept speculative thriller exploring surveillance, capitalism, and AI ethics, as our protagonist Dorcas whose finds out her life is a reality show being broadcast across the galaxy. |
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