Didi O'Brien is engaged—at least she was an hour ago. Now she's not so sure. Her fiancé, the suave Kevin Cabot, has just revealed that he's been unfaithful, and he's not the least bit sorry. Reeling from the betrayal, with her plans for a happily-ever-after life in doubt, she prays for direction. The answer comes as a complete surprise. God has someone better in mind. Middle school teacher, Jake Montgomery, is struggling with some issues of his own. Sadly, a year previously his fiancée had been killed in a car crash. Battling anger and despair, in a mountain-top experience, Jake wrestles with the Almighty, and is ready to live again. In his youth, he'd felt an unmistakable call to the ministry but, like the prophet Jonah, since then, he's been running hard in the wrong direction. Through a crisis of faith, and glimpses of mercy, Didi and Jake find each other. But can they find the strength to resolve the many obstacles that conspire to keep them apart?
‘Hooked from the first page right until the last... I didn’t see the bombshell coming until it was on the page… Skilfully plotted and sizzling with suspense.’ Emma’s Biblio Treasures ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What if the person you trust most in the world has been lying to you for your whole life? Martha would do anything for her devoted mother, Fran. Now in her mid-twenties, Martha still lives with her in their remote, pretty cottage in the Cornish countryside. Fran paints illustrations, while Martha trains to be an animal nurse. But then Martha sees a strange message on her mother’s phone – apparently from her estranged father. He had been there for her first steps. He’d helped with her homework, and taken her for ice cream at weekends. And then, two days before her ninth birthday, he walked out. She never knew what went wrong, and she and Fran never heard from him again. Desperate for answers, she tracks him down. But when they come face to face, she isn’t ready for the brutal truth. Closing his eyes he says, ‘She hasn’t told you, has she? I’m not your father.’ Her mother has been telling lies. And not just about who her real father is… As the lies start to unravel, someone will do whatever it takes to keep Martha from finding the truth. A page-turning, gripping psychological thriller for fans of The Girl on the Train, Shalini Boland, and C. L. Taylor. Readers are loving Her Mother’s Lies: ‘This had an amazing storyline!... My top read of the year!! I’m finding it hard to put into words how good it was.’ The Fiction Café Book Club, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Top book of 2019 ‘WOW!!! Amazing, phenomenal, unputdownable… It doesn't get any better than this.’ NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow wow wow!!... I was hooked from the first page!... Instantly grips you… So many twists... Kept me guessing right until the very end.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘It's been a long time since I have read a book that has made me feel utterly gobsmacked. If life hadn't been in the way, I could easily have read Her Mother's Lies in one sitting, it was unputdownable.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What a page turner this is!!!... Lies, deceit it has it all… My jaw dropped on a few occasions and never expected the twists and turns, I love when that happens. Amazingly brilliant book.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I was in shock. This author sure knows how to pack a punch. A jaw dropping, heart stopping page turner of a read. It should come with a warning as I could feel my heart racing... I can still feel the adrenaline.’ By the Letter Book Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Absolutely stunning… doesn't let you go until that very last page… READ IT and read it as soon as you can! ’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Gripping, intriguing, and mind blowing!... The story starts off with a bang. The entire time I was reading, I was guessing what would happen, only to be proven wrong.’ NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow, what a book!!!!!... I never saw all the twists and turns coming that this book had in store. It was like I was on a rollercoaster ride that I never wanted to get off from.’ Blue Moon Blogger ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Just Brilliant!!!!... A fantastic book and I was hooked within the first few pages… Blimey what a cracking read!... a brilliant psychological thriller that will keep you hooked… Wow!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fast paced rollercoaster ride that is packed full of so many twists and turns that by the time you reach the final twist, you are left feeling so dizzy that all you want to do is lie down in a dark room… One hell of unexpected jaw dropping twist… Well worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.’ Nicki’s Life of Crime ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
An informative, entertaining, and beautifully illustrated look at the beloved firefly For centuries, the beauty of fireflies has evoked wonder and delight. Yet for most of us, fireflies remain shrouded in mystery: How do fireflies make their light? What are they saying with their flashing? And what do fireflies look for in a mate? In Silent Sparks, noted biologist and firefly expert Sara Lewis dives into the fascinating world of fireflies and reveals the most up-to-date discoveries about these beloved insects. From the meadows of New England and the hills of the Great Smoky Mountains, to the rivers of Japan and mangrove forests of Malaysia, this beautifully illustrated and accessible book uncovers the remarkable, dramatic stories of birth, courtship, romance, sex, deceit, poison, and death among fireflies. The nearly two thousand species of fireflies worldwide have evolved in different ways—and while most mate through the aerial language of blinking lights, not all do. Lewis introduces us to fireflies that don't light up at all, relying on wind-borne perfumes to find mates, and we encounter glow-worm fireflies, whose plump, wingless females never fly. We go behind the scenes to meet inquisitive scientists who have dedicated their lives to understanding fireflies, and we learn about various modern threats including light pollution and habitat destruction. In the last section of the book, Lewis provides a field guide for North American fireflies, enabling us to identify them in our own backyards and neighborhoods. This concise, handy guide includes distinguishing features, habits, and range maps for the most commonly encountered fireflies, as well as a gear list. A passionate exploration of one of the world's most charismatic and admired insects, Silent Sparks will inspire us to reconnect with the natural world.
When paramedics find a malnourished six-year-old boy near a burning car that holds a dead woman, they wonder who he is—and why he won't speak. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Mountain Between Us comes a story of self-discovery, healing, and hope. On a stifling summer day, an old Chevy Impala ignored the warning signals and was annihilated by the oncoming train. What no one realized until much later was that the driver had paused just before entering the tracks and kicked a small boy out of the car. A small boy with broken glasses who is clutching a notebook with all his might . . . but who never speaks. Chase Walker was one of the lucky ones. He was in foster care as a child, but he finally ended up with a family who loved him and cared for him. Now, as a journalist for the local paper, he’s moved on and put the past behind him. But when he’s assigned the story of this young boy, painful, haunting questions about his own childhood begin to rise to the surface. And as Chase Walker discovers, learning the truth about who you are can be as elusive—and as magical—as chasing fireflies on a summer night. “Martin understands the power of story and he uses it to alter the souls and lives of both his characters and his readers . . .” —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author Full-length emotive Southern fiction Bonus excerpt from The Water Keeper Includes discussion questions for book clubs Also by Charles Martin: The Water Keeper, The Mountain Between Us, Send Down the Rain, and When Crickets Cry
‘WOW! I absolutely loved this.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Gripped me so hard I ruined my plans with the husband.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Amazing!! I loved it!!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'OH MY GOSH!… Simply incredible.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I literally loved everything about it.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ You’re not who you say you are. Neither is she. She thinks she knows me. She believes my marriage is falling apart at the seams, that my husband can barely look me in the eyes. She thinks I’m desperate for a baby, that my longing for a family keeps me up at night. As much as I hate to admit it, all of this is true. She thinks I listen to her advice, that I care about her opinion. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Because she has no idea who I am. She has no clue that I know everything. I know her secret. I know that she did the unforgivable. I know how many lives she ruined. I know exactly what she did. And I’m here for her. An utterly gripping, addictive and shocking read about the dark secrets we’re ashamed to admit, and the lengths people go to for revenge. Fans of K.L. Slater, My Lovely Wife and The Wife Between Us will be racing through the pages, gasping at the twists, and reeling from the explosive ending of this unmissable page-turner. Readers absolutely love I Know Your Secret: 'AWESOME!!!!! WOW, WOW, WOW. Why did this book have to end? From beginning to the end so many twists and turns, such a great read. I couldn’t get enough of it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘WOW!... AMAZING!... There were so many twists and turns. You may think you have it all figured out, but guess again! I normally jump right into a new book, but I had to sit on this one and let it all soak in.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow oh wow! I knew this was going to be a good book, but I wasn't prepared for how good… This definitely kept me on the edge of my seat, it has been completely unpredictable and a fantastic read from start to finish. I haven't been able to put this one down… I devoured this book in just one sitting, I was completely sucked in… This is definitely a five-star book, although in my personal opinion it should have more than five stars!’ LittleMissBookLover87, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘WOW. Finished in less than a day, I couldn't put it down. Gripping and twisty. I love the twists that make you say “ooooh” out loud! So, so good!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved it!!!…I could or would not put it down. The twists were amazing!!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow! What a great read! It was one of those books I call “just one more chapter” before I go to bed!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Totally sucked into this story… Could not put it down… Grabs hold of you on page 1 and doesn’t let go until the last.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Utterly addicting. I was up most of the night reading this one!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I gobbled it up in one sitting!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow!... I was hooked… I definitely didn't see any of that coming!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Brilliant… Could not put this down! Definitely one of my top favourite reads.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Oh my! This book was a nail-biter for sure! I loved it.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An outstanding thriller!!... Go ahead and read this one!’ SimplyMurt, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Amazing… A bold, unique, edge-of-your-seat thriller... At one point… my heart actually felt like it dropped as a bombshell was dropped. An incredible story and I can't recommend this enough.’ Saylor Reads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
On its release in 1988, Grave of the Fireflies riveted audiences with its uncompromising drama. Directed by Isao Takahata at Studio Ghibli and based on an autobiographical story by Akiyuki Nosaka, the story of two Japanese children struggling to survive in the dying days of the Second World War unfolds with a gritty realism unprecedented in animation. Grave of the Fireflies has since been hailed as a classic of both anime and war cinema. In 2018, USA Today ranked it the greatest animated film of all time. Yet Ghibli's sombre masterpiece remains little analysed outside Japan, even as its meaning is fiercely contested - Takahata himself lamented that few had grasped his message. In the first book-length study of the film in English, Alex Dudok de Wit explores its themes, visual devices and groundbreaking use of animation, as well as the political context in which it was made. Drawing on untranslated accounts by the film's crew, he also describes its troubled production, which almost spelt disaster for Takahata and his studio.
Nina is afraid of the dark. Luckily she has a nightlight, but one night the power goes out. So Nina traps a firefly to keep her company. She has a jolly time with her new friend, until she soon realizes that the firefly doesn't feel the same way, and she must let it go. This irresistible bedtime story has stunning black-and-white illustrations accented with glowing spots of color-as magical as fireflies themselves!
WINNER: 2017 New Apple Summer eBook Official Selection Romance Questions never asked don't always remain unanswered Ryleigh Collins is content-until her marriage collapses, her son moves to another state, and her mother's death fracture her idealistic bubble. As she sifts through her mother's belongings, Ryleigh discovers a blood-stained journal and an odd letter with no idea who wrote them, or why her mother kept them hidden. Questions raise more questions, and she wants nothing more than to flee the mounting turmoil. But Ryleigh can't suppress the strange pull the journal has on her and embarks on a quest for answers. When a reclusive old man reveals truths her mother took to the grave, what she learns will set in motion a future she never envisioned. Bearing a deeply scarred heart, Ryleigh returns home to her ex-husband's plea to take him back. Overwhelmed, she escapes to a Rocky Mountain resort to sort through the chaos. When a paralyzing snowstorm develops, she is forced into seclusion with Logan Cavanaugh, the distinctly reserved resort owner, and facing what she's afraid to admit. As the snow deepens, so do her feelings for Logan, but his own demons threaten their ensuing bond. Two lost souls find comfort in each other, but their pasts may be too powerful to escape.
Somewhere in the Jim Crow South, the sky is on fire. A pregnant Olivia’s fierce speechwriting is the true force behind her charismatic husband, Charles, and his successful Movement, galvanizing people to march towards freedom. When four little girls are bombed in a church, Olivia and Charles’ marriage is threatened—as this tragedy and years of civil unrest leave Olivia believing that “this world ain’t no place to raise a colored child.”
Three novellas by the author of Legends of the Fall. “A brilliant tour de force . . . Jim Harrison at his peak: comic, erotic, and insightful” (San Francisco Chronicle). Across the odd contours of the American landscape, people are searching for the things that aren’t irretrievably lost, for the incandescent beneath the ordinary. An ex-Bible student with raucously asocial tendencies rescues the preserved body of an Indian chief from the frigid depths of Lake Superior in a caper that nets a wildly unexpected bounty. A band of sixties radicals, now approaching middle age, reunite to free an old comrade from a Mexican jail. A fifty-year-old suburban housewife flees quietly from her abusive businessman husband at a highway rest stop, climbs a fence, and explores the bittersweet pageant of the preceding years within the sanctuary of an Iowa cornfield. The Woman Lit by Fireflies is the work of a classic writer at the very top of his form—a hard-living, hard-writing hero of American letters whose novellas comprise a sweeping tribute to the nation’s heartland and the colorful, courageous characters who inhabit it. “Funny, wild, sexy, and bizarre . . . Along with Richard Ford . . . Harrison has cornered the market in the tough-but-tender style that characterized Hemingway’s early work.” —Nick Hornby
