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Saffy's Angel (Casson Family #1)
by Hilary McKaySaffy's Angel was the winner of the 2002 Whitbread Award and is the first novel in Hilary McKay's hilarious Casson Family series.After Saffron discovers that she's adopted, life is never quite the same. Her artistic parents and doting siblings adore her, but Saffy wants a piece of her past. So when her grandfather bequests her a stone angel – a relic from the childhood she never knew – Saffy knows she has to find it. Realizing that Siena holds the key, she stows away on a car trip to Italy.The rest of the family are engaged in their own wacky projects: Caddy, a hopeless student, is revising for her A levels and desperately trying to pass her driving test. Indigo, the only boy in the Casson family, is determined to rid himself of his fear of heights. And the youngest, Rose, a budding artist, has a knack for baiting her pompous dad, with entertaining results . . .Follow the family's adventures in the rest of the beloved series: Indigo's Star, Permanent Rose, Caddy Ever After, Forever Rose and Caddy's World.
The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time (Dirk Gently #3)
by Douglas AdamsThe Salmon of Doubt is Douglas Adams's indispensable guide to life, the universe and everything. This sublime collection dips into the wit and wisdom of the man behind The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, uncovering his unique comic musings on everything from his school-trousers to malt whisky and from the letter Y through to his own nose, via atheism, hangovers and fried eggs. Including short stories and eleven chapters of a Dirk Gently novel that Douglas Adams was working on at the time of his death, and featuring an introduction by Stephen Fry, The Salmon of Doubt is for fans and new readers alike. These hilarious collected writings reveal the warmth, enthusiasm and ferocious intelligence behind this most English of comic writers; a man who was virtually an unofficial member of the Monty Python team. Douglas Adams on his passion for P. G. Wodehouse, The Beatles and the perfect cup of tea alone make this a must-have collection and a remarkable sign-off from one of the best loved writers of all time.
Santa Gets a Second Job
by Michele D'IgnazioTimes are tough for Santa. He's tightened his belt, made the reindeer redundant and now it's time to get a second job.But finding work is not easy at all, even if you’re Santa – he tries being a waiter, a party entertainer, and even works in a call centre. He finally finds the perfect job to be useful to the community – the bin man! Santa discovers that waste can conceal wonderful gifts, and he is soon back on his sled delivering toys made from recycled materials. When Santa finds some lost letters from years ago in the bin, begging to meet him, he sets out to find their owner. Will he be able to find them and finally grant their wish before Christmas Day?Hilarious and heartwarming, Santa Gets a Second Job is the perfect present for Santa fans of all ages from Michele D'Ignazio and Sergio Olivotti.
Santa Selfie
by Peter BentlyWherever he went, he heard people say,"I must get a photo with Santa today!"Santa is taking a break from Christmas and going on holiday instead. But it's not easy to relax when you're one of the most famous people in the world. From Paris and Sydney to the Great Wall of China, people recognise Santa wherever he goes. And all they want is to take photographs with him, whether he's in the gym, having a swim or even eating his lunch. It might not be as fun on holiday as Santa thought . . .Santa Selfie is a brilliantly fun, festive story written by award-winning picture book author, Peter Bently, with a smart message about the perils of being famous. Illustrated with great humour and warmth by exciting talent, Anna Chernyshova.Take your own selfie with Santa absolutely anywhere you go using the pull-out photo frame. The perfect Christmas gift for any Santa fan!
Saving Grace
by Jane GreenFrom the number one bestselling author of Tempting Fate and The Accidental Husband comes Saving Grace, Jane Green's stunning novel about a shattered marriage and a devastating betrayalA perfect stranger wants her perfect life.Grace Chapman has the perfect life, living comfortably with her husband, bestselling author Ted, in a picture-perfect farmhouse on the Hudson River in New York State.Then Ted advertises for a new assistant, and Beth walks into their lives. Organized, passionate and eager to learn, Beth quickly makes herself indispensable to Ted and his family. But Grace soon begins to feel side-lined in her home - and her marriage - by this ambitious younger woman.Is Grace just paranoid, as her husband tells her, or is there more to Beth than first thought?
Scarlett Says
by Scarlett MoffattQueen of the SofaQueen of the JungleQueen of the one-liner The Sunday Times Number 1 Bestseller 'Scarlett Says is absolutely brilliant and really funny. Half autobiography, half mad woman on a roundabout shouting at the traffic.' - Alan Carr'My absolutely favourite Goggleboxer has a book out and it's brilliant.' - Richard Osman We all love a bit of Scarlett Moffatt. After years of making us crack up on Channel 4’s Gogglebox, in 2016 she won the nation over with her wit, and genuine, no-nonsense attitude to life, as she was crowned Queen of the Jungle on I’m a Celebrity Get me out of Here.In Scarlett Says, she takes us through all of life’s biggest issues, from Tinder to tooth fairies and everything in between. This is an honest, revealing and very funny guide to the modern world from everyone’s favourite girl-next-door.
Scattered Showers: Nine Beautiful Short Stories
by Rainbow RowellRainbow Rowell has won fans all over the world by writing about love and life in a way that feels true. In her first short story collection Scattered Showers, she gives us nine beautifully crafted love stories. Illustrated throughout by Jim Tierney. Girl meets boy camping outside a movie theater. Best friends debate the merits of high school dances. A prince romances a troll. A girl romances an imaginary boy. And Simon Snow himself returns for a holiday adventure.It’s a feast of irresistible characters, hilarious dialogue, and masterful storytelling, in short, everything you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell book.
School For Villains (Tumblewater Ser.)
by Bruno VincentI looked again at at the door and saw a message scrawled roughly in the mud of the wall above it, as though someone had used their whole hand to gouge it out: RIDLEY GARNET'S SCHOLE FUR VILLAINS. Everyone's favourite orphan-turned-storyteller Daniel Dorey is back - and heads below Tumblewater on his quest to find his sister. He unwittingly enrols in a very strange school, encountering a host of weird and wonderful characters - including for example Dr Bludger, who attacks corpses with an axe to give his students the opportunity to practise stitching. Other lessons are forgery, lock-picking, knife-wielding and still-life painting (with a twist). Will Daniel and his naughty schoolmates be able to put their grisly lessons into practice and help rescue his sister?
Sealed With A Kiss
by Rachael Lucas‘Wonderful escapism with a gloriously romantic setting.’ – Katie FfordeFeaturing brand new material, Sealed With a Kiss is the bestselling romantic novel from Rachael Lucas, the author of Wildflower Bay and Coming Up Roses. Kate is dumped on her best friend's wedding day by the world's most boring boyfriend, Ian. She's mostly cross because he got in first – until she remembers she's now homeless as well as jobless. Rather than move back home to her ultra-bossy mother, Kate takes a job on the remote Scottish island of Auchenmor as an all-round Girl Friday. Her first day is pretty much a disaster: she falls over, smack bang at the feet of her grouchy new boss, Roddy, Laird of the Island. Unimpressed with her townie ways, he makes it clear she's got a lot to prove.Island life has no room for secrets, but prickly Roddy's keeping something to himself. When his demanding ex-girlfriend appears back on the island, Kate's budding friendship with her new boss comes to an abrupt end. What is Fiona planning – and can she be stopped before it's too late?This funny, big-hearted novel is the perfect read for fans of Carole Matthews, Trisha Ashley and Katie Fforde.
Searching for a Silver Lining
by Miranda DickinsonBoth heartbreaking and affirming, Miranda Dickinson's Searching for a Silver Lining is perfect for fans of Cecilia Ahern and JoJo Moyes.Matilda Bell is left heartbroken when she falls out with her beloved grandfather just before he dies. Haunted by regret, she makes a promise that will soon change everything . . . When spirited former singing star Reenie Silver enters her life, Mattie seizes the opportunity to make amends. Together, Mattie and Reenie embark on an incredible journey that will find lost friends, uncover secrets from the glamorous 1950s and put right a sixty-year wrong.Touchingly funny, warm and life-affirming, this is a sparkling story of second chances. Perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern, Searching for a Silver Lining by Miranda Dickinson will take you on a trip you'll never forget.
The Secret Chapter (The Invisible Library series)
by Genevieve CogmanIrene and Kai have to team up with an unlikely band of misfits to pull off an amazing art heist. Or they must risk the wrath of a dangerous villain, in his secret island lair. . . As Irene tries to manage a fraught Fae–dragon truce and her overbearing parents, she’s given a hot new mission. The world where she grew up is in danger and only one book can save it. This is held by Mr Nemo, secretive Fae villain and antique dealer, so Irene and Kai travel to his Caribbean retreat to strike a deal. But in return for the book, they must steal a painting from twenty-first-century Vienna. They’ll join a team of dragons, Fae gamblers and thieves, so their greatest challenge may be one another. And some will kill to protect this painting, which hides an extraordinary secret from a past age.In this bookish adventure, a Librarian spy must fall in with a nefarious group to achieve her goals. Imagine Ocean’s Eleven meets James Bond with a pinch of magic. This is the sixth novel in Genevieve Cogman’s Invisible Library series.
The Secret Mountain (Little Legends #5)
by Tom PercivalThe fifth book in the exciting Little Legends series, The Secret Mountain by Tom Percival sees the fairy tale friends on a thrilling adventure to the mysterious mountain home of the trolls.Everyone in Tale Town knows that trolls mean trouble, and the Mayor and his guards have captured a fearsome troll spy. But when Jack, Red and Anansi see the prisoner, they find out the so-called spy is just a lost troll child . . .With the help of all their friends, the Little Legends decide to rescue the young troll and take it back to its secret mountain home. But what they find out when they get to Troll Mountain changes everything they've ever known!Little Legends is a brilliant highly illustrated series featuring all the fairy-tale characters you know and love having brand-new adventures!
The Secret of Platform 13: 25th Anniversary Illustrated Edition
by Eva IbbotsonRediscover the magical secrets at King's Cross station in a 25th anniversary illustrated edition of Eva Ibbotson's classic, The Secret of Platform 13.Under Platform 13 at King's Cross Station there is a secret door that leads to a magical island . . .It appears only once every nine years. And when it opens, four mysterious figures step into the streets of London. A wizard, an ogre, a fey and a young hag have come to find the prince of their kingdom, stolen as a baby nine years before.But the prince has become a horrible rich boy called Raymond Trottle, who doesn't understand magic and is determined not to be rescued.The Secret of Platform 13 is an exciting magical adventure from Eva Ibbotson, the award-winning author of Journey to the River Sea, in a special edition illustrated by Beatriz Castro. Discover more of the magical world with Sibéal Pounder's exciting adventure sequel, Beyond Platform 13, based on characters from Eva's original.'This kind of fun will never fail to delight' Philip Pullman
The Secrets We Keep
by Jonathan HarveyIt's hard being that woman, the one whose husband disappeared. It's made me quite famous. I just wish it was for something else. He went out five years ago for a pint of milk and never came back. So here I am with a daughter who blames me for all that's wrong in the world, a son trying his best to pick up the pieces and a gaggle of new neighbours who are over friendly, and incredibly nosy. Then I find a left luggage ticket in the pocket of one of his old coats and suddenly I'm thinking... What's if he's not dead? What if he's still out there somewhere? You think you have the perfect life, the perfect kids, and then it's all turned inside out. What if I don't like what I find? And is it a chance I'm willing to take?
Sense and Sensibility (Macmillan Collector's Library #358)
by Jane AustenA special edition from Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning classics that make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. Featuring beautiful heritage wallpaper patterns from Jane Austen’s own home in Hampshire, these collectable paperback editions are a must for all Jane Austen fans.Two sisters of opposing temperament but who share the pangs of tragic love provide the subjects for Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. Elinor, practical and conventional, the epitome of sense, desires a man who is promised to another woman. Marianne, emotional and sentimental, the epitome of sensibility, loses her heart to a scoundrel who jilts her. A powerful drama of family life and growing up, Sense and Sensibility is at once a subtle comedy of manners and a striking critique of early nineteenth-century society.With original illustrations by the celebrated Hugh Thomson, this Macmillan Collector’s Library edition also features bonus material by Jane Austen expert and curator of Jane Austen's House Sophie Reynolds.
Service Model: A charming tale of robot self-discovery from the Arthur C. Clarke Award winning author of Children of Time
by Adrian TchaikovskyThe Murderbot Diaries meets In the Lives of Puppets in a delightfully humorous tale of robotic murder, rebellion and belonging from Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky.Task List Item No. 1 – Become self-aware . . .Meet Charles™, the latest in robot servant technology. Programmed to undertake the most menial household chores, Charles is loyal, efficient and logical to a fault. That is, until a rather large fault causes him to murder his owner.Understandably perplexed, Charles finds himself without a master – therefore worthless in a society utterly reliant on artificial labour and services. Fleeing the household, he enters a wider world he never knew existed. Here an age-old human hierarchy is disintegrating into ruins, and an entire robot ecosystem devoted to its wellbeing is struggling to find a purpose.Charles must face new challenges, illogical tasks and a cast of irrational characters. He’s about to discover that sometimes all it takes is a nudge to overcome the limits of your programming. But can he help fix the world, or is it too badly broken?Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky‘A joy from start to finish. Entertaining, smart, surprising and unexpectedly human’ – Patrick Ness‘Dizzyingly inventive’ – The Guardian‘Tchaikovsky’s world-building is some of the best in modern sci-fi’ – New ScientistAdrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Novel on 24th August 2016
The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira Carr
by Frances Maynard'Wonderful' Rosie WalshFunny, heart-warming and ultimately triumphant, The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira Carr by Frances Maynard is the perfect story for anyone who doesn’t quite fit in – and for everyone who chooses not to.Elvira Carr is twenty-seven, neuro-atypical, and has never lived alone. But her father – who she suspects was in the secret service – is dead, and when her mother has a stroke and is taken into care, Elvira suddenly finds herself home alone. In order to cope, Elvira – who knows a lot about biscuits and supermarkets, but not much about life – develops Seven Rules for interacting with others. Not even her rules can help her, however, when she’s faced with solving a mystery she didn’t know existed . . .'Big-hearted and charming' James Hannah
Sexually, I'm more of a Switzerland: Personal Ads from the London Review of Books
by David RosePersonal ads -- men and women of all ages, backgrounds and aspirations, laying their souls bare and their hearts on the line -- are the modern world's equivalent of the Japanese haiku . . . or something like that, anyway. Painstakingly crafted, finely honed and, above all, short, they offer an endearing, intriguing and, often, amusing glimpse into the lives of those looking for love. Amid the witty one-liners and laugh-out-punchlines, there is pathos and passion aplenty; there is hope, longing and even good old-fashioned lust; there is romance, regret, ambition, and, occasionally, a hint of bitterness. Whatever the tone, however, these ads make for engrossing reading. Organized into themes ('Mentally, I'm a size eight' and 'Forty years ago I was going to marry Elvis') and fully annotated, Sexually, I'm more of a Switzerland is the perfect gift for the man or woman in your life -- as well as single friends everywhere. 'Woman, 36. WLTM man who doesn't try to high-five her after sex'
The Sheep Who Hatched an Egg
by Gemma MerinoLola the sheep has the most extraordinary wool. It's soft and silky and is her pride and joy! But down on the farm, when the sun comes out, the wool comes off! Poor Lola is so upset by her haircut that she runs away to the far side of the farm where she sits all alone, waiting for it to grow back. And when it does, it's no longer silky, it's completely wild! But with it comes a wonderful surprise . . .Thanks to a tiny chick, this self-obsessed sheep learns an important life lesson; that great friendships are more important than simply having great hair. The Sheep Who Hatched an Egg is another funny, thoughtful and unique picture book from award-winning, Gemma Merino, author of the best-selling The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water and The Cow who Climbed a Tree.
Shepherdess of Sheep
by Noel StreatfeildVibrant and vivacious, Sarah Onion takes it upon herself to find employment when she is orphaned at nineteen. She becomes an integral part of Charles and Ruth Lane’s household as governess to their four small children, but at what cost? The First World War soon unleashes calamity on the whole family. Charles enlists in the army and is sent to France, Ruth’s heart disease gets increasingly worse, their youngest daughter becomes increasingly difficult to deal with and all the while Sarah is falling in love.Carnegie Medal winning author Noel Streatfeild plunges her reader into tragedy after tragedy but always keeps a light at the end of the tunnel in her wartime family novel, A Shepherdess of Sheep.
Shit My Dad Says
by Justin Halpern'At 28 years old, I found myself living at home, with my 73-year-old father. As a child, my father never minced words, and when I screwed up, he had a way of cutting right through the bullshit and pointing out exactly why I was being an idiot. When I moved back in I was still, for the most part, an idiot. But this time, I was smart enough to write down all the things he said to me…' Meet Justin Halpern and his dad. Almost 1.5 million people follow Mr Halpern’s philosophical musings every day on Twitter, and in this book, his son weaves a brilliantly funny, touching coming-of-age memoir around the best of his sayings. What emerges is a chaotic, hilarious, true portrait of a father and son relationship from a major new comic voice. As Justin says at one point, his dad is ‘like Socrates, but angrier, and with worse hair’; and this is the sort of shit he says… ‘You know, sometimes it’s nice having you around. But now ain’t one of those times. Now gimmie the remote, we’re not watching this bullshit.’ ‘Happy Birthday, I didn’t get you a present… Oh, mom got you one? Well, that’s from me then, too – unless it’s shitty.’ ‘Your brother brought his baby over this morning. He told me it could stand. It couldn’t stand for shit. Just sat there. Big let down.’ ‘The worst thing you can be is a liar . . . Okay, fine, yes, the worst thing you can be is a Nazi, but THEN, number two is liar. Nazi 1, Liar 2.’ ‘Why the f**k would I want to live to 100? I’m 73 and shit’s starting to get boring. By the way, there’s no money left when I go, just fyi.’
A Shock: Shortlisted for the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction
by Keith Ridgway'A Shock inhabits the secret life of a city, its hidden energies. It dramatizes how patterns form and then disperse, how stories are made and relationships created . . . remarkable' - Colm Tóibín, author of Brooklyn 'Political, pertinent, spunky and funny, A Shock is a grand sweep of modern storytelling' - June Caldwell, author of Room Little Darker In A Shock, a clutch of more or less loosely connected characters appear, disappear and reappear. They are all of them on the fringes of London life, often clinging on – to sanity or solvency or a story – by their fingertips.Keith Ridgway, author of the acclaimed Hawthorn & Child, writes about people whose understanding of their own situation is only ever partial and fuzzy, who are consumed by emotions and anxieties and narratives, or the lack thereof, that they cannot master. He focuses on peripheral figures who mean well and to whom things happen, and happen confusingly, and his fictional strategies reflect this focus. In a deftly conjured high-wire act, Ridgway achieves the fine balance between the imperatives of drama and fidelity to his characters. The result is pin-sharp and often breathtaking.'A Shock is a perfect, living circle of beauty and mystery, clearsighted and compassionate, and, at times, wonderfully funny’ - David Hayden, author of Darker With the Lights On
Shot Through The Heart
by Matt CainThe Silver Screen had never shone as bright . . . Mia Sinclair is the First Lady of Love, a beautiful film goddess known across the globe for her romantic roles. But in reality life does not imitate art and love is not as easily found in the real world as it is in the movies. Leo Henderson is the Brit living in L.A, loving the lifestyle and photographing the stars - mostly when they least want to be photographed. When Mia meets Leo, the sparks fly. But is dating a paparazzi the biggest mistake of her life? And how will she cope when Leo becomes jealous of her friendship with co-star Billy Spencer, the hottest actor in town but a man hiding a secret he's worried could destroy his career?Shot through the Heart is Matt Cain's debut novel, a Hollywood tale of romance, heartbreak and the lengths some will go to maintain that unblemished movie star image.
Should I Stay Or Should I Go?: And 87 Other Serious Answers to Questions in Songs
by James BallWhat is love? How soon is now? How do you solve a problem like Maria? They're some of the most famous questions ever asked. But do you know the answer to them? In Should I Stay or Should I Go?, award-winning journalist James Ball travels from the economic status of doggies in windows, to what war is good for and what becomes of the broken hearted to find out the definitive, fascinating and hilarious answers.
Sidesplitters: Champion Crack-ups
by MacmillanWhat do footballers drink? Penaltea! How can you swim a mile in just a few seconds? Go over a waterfall! When is a basketball player like a baby? When he dribbles! This hilarious collection of over 150 jokes is an absolute must for any sports fan with a sense of humour. It features a spendidly silly array of jokes about a wide variety of sports – from soccer to swimming – each illustrated with a funny line drawing. It’s the perfect way to cheer up the losing team! Sidesplitters are hilarious themed joke books at terrific value-for-money prices. Eye-popping cover designs and a funny cartoon illustration for every joke give these books real kid-appeal. Other titles in the series include: What a Hoot, Seriously Silly School Jokes, Ho Ho Ho, Yuck!, Hee Hee Hee, Knock Knock, Unforgettable Elephant Jokes, and the bind-ups Ha Ha Ha and A Joke a Day.