en-US Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:02:55 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 768889
The Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud. In the northern wastes, a horde of hungry, savage people steeped in the dark magic of the wilderness is poised to invade the Kingdom of the North where Robb Stark wears his new-forged crown. And Robb's defences are ranged against the South, the land of the cunning and cruel Lannisters, who have his young sisters in their power.

Throughout Westeros, the war for the Iron Throne rages more fiercely than ever, but if the wall is breached, no king will live to claim it.]]> 663 George R.R. Martin 0006479901 Elizabeth 0 4.47 2000
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/15
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]]> 37688046
Determined to clear her name, Zu finds herself in an uncomfortable alliance with Roman and Priyanka, two mysterious Psi who could either help her prove her innocence or betray her before she gets the chance. But as they travel in search of safety and answers, and Zu grows closer to the people she knows she shouldn't trust, they uncover even darker things roiling beneath the veneer of the country's recovery. With her future-and the future of all Psi-on the line, Zu must use her powerful voice to fight back against forces that seek to drive the Psi into the shadows and save the friends who were once her protectors.

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a harrowing story of resilience, resistance, and reckoning that will thrill loyal fans and new readers alike.]]> 569 Alexandra Bracken 136802324X Elizabeth 5 4.09 2018
author: Alexandra Bracken
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/09/02
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]]> 13337715
Tyrion Lannister, having killed his father, and wrongfully accused of killing his nephew, King Joffrey, has escaped from King’s Landing with a price on his head.

To the north lies the great Wall of ice and stone � a structure only as strong as those guarding it. Eddard Stark's bastard son Jon Snow has been elected 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. But Jon has enemies both inside and beyond the Wall.

And in the east Daenerys Targaryen struggles to hold a city built on dreams and dust.]]> 690 George R.R. Martin Elizabeth 0 currently-reading 4.33 2011
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at: 2021/01/01
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 6435965




Life in the countryside is hard but with her 'brothers' Jem and Gideon, she helps in the fields and plays imaginary games. Together they sneak off to visit the travelling circus and Hetty is mesmerised by the show, especially Madame Adeline and her performing horses.





But Hetty's happiness is threatened once more when she is returned to the Foundling Hospital. The new life of awful uniforms and terrible food is a struggle for her. But now she has the chance to find her real mother. Could she really be the wonderful Madame Adeline? Or will Hetty find the truth is even more surprising?








Jacqueline Wilson will surprise and delight old fans and new with this utterly original take on a historical novel. Set in Victorian times and featuring a brand new feisty heroine, Hetty Feather, this is a Tracy Beaker-esque tale that will thrill young readers. Warm, moving, funny and totally fascinating, it's the perfect gift for girls of eight and older.]]> 400 Jacqueline Wilson 0385614446 Elizabeth 0 anchoress 4.22 2009
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves: anchoress
review:

]]> 13872 Geek Love is the story of the Binewskis, a carny family whose mater- and paterfamilias set out � with the help of amphetamine, arsenic, and radioisotopes � to breed their own exhibit of human oddities. There's Arturo the Aquaboy, who has flippers for limbs and a megalomaniac ambition worthy of Genghis Khan . . . Iphy and Elly, the lissome Siamese twins . . . albino hunchback Oly, and the outwardly normal Chick, whose mysterious gifts make him the family's most precious � and dangerous � asset.

As the Binewskis take their act across the backwaters of the U.S., inspiring fanatical devotion and murderous revulsion; as its members conduct their own Machiavellian version of sibling rivalry, Geek Love throws its sulfurous light on our notions of the freakish and the normal, the beautiful and the ugly, the holy and the obscene. Family values will never be the same.]]> 348 Katherine Dunn 0375713344 Elizabeth 0 anchoress 3.96 1989
author: Katherine Dunn
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1989
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves: anchoress
review:

]]> 248596 Something Wicked This Way Comes, now featuring a new introduction and material about its longstanding influence on culture and genre.

For those who still dream and remember, for those yet to experience the hypnotic power of its dark poetry, step inside. The show is about to begin. Cooger & Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to Green Town, Illinois, to destroy every life touched by its strange and sinister mystery. The carnival rolls in sometime after midnight, ushering in Halloween a week early. A calliope’s shrill siren song beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. Two boys will discover the secret of its smoke, mazes, and mirrors; two friends who will soon know all too well the heavy cost of wishes…and the stuff of nightmares.

Few novels have endured in the heart and memory as has Ray Bradbury’s unparalleled literary masterpiece Something Wicked This Way Comes. Scary and suspenseful, it is a timeless classic in the American canon.]]> 293 Ray Bradbury 0380729407 Elizabeth 0 anchoress 3.91 1962
author: Ray Bradbury
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.91
book published: 1962
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves: anchoress
review:

]]> 43641
Beautifully written, Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.]]> 368 Sara Gruen 1565125606 Elizabeth 0 anchoress 4.11 2006
author: Sara Gruen
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves: anchoress
review:

]]> 53407415 Circus people don't ask who you were before, or what god you believe in - when you join the circus, you are family, whatever your past.

Paris, 1940. Twenty-year-old Michel Bonnet lives on the edge of the law, finding work where he can breaking in horses on the outskirts of the city. But when the Nazis invade, Michel takes refuge as a stowaway on a rickety train bound for the rural south. It’s a journey that will change his life forever.

The train is property of Le Cirque Neumann � a travelling circus owned by the troubled and irritable showman Werner Neumann. Neumann offers Michel a job caring for the company’s horses � a lucky break, but with an unusual condition attached. Michel must keep to himself and never speak of what he sees behind the glittering curtain of the big top.

But as Michel finds himself pulled into the strange and wondrous world of the great spectacular it becomes more difficult to keep his promise. Why does the man with the performing monkey never speak, and the sword swallower turn his face away? Who are the silent, shadowy figures who flit like moths between the wagons when the sun is down? It’s clear that Neumann is keeping his performers hidden away� but why? And how can Michel win the love of the beautiful and exotic trapeze artist Freida � the graceful, green-eyed star of Neuman’s spectacular � when he’s been forbidden to even meet her gaze?

An emotional and uplifting wartime novel � perfect for fans of Water for Elephants, The Nightingale and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.]]> 361 Carly Schabowski 1838881298 Elizabeth 0 anchoress 3.62 2020
author: Carly Schabowski
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves: anchoress
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]]> 9361589
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.]]> 506 Erin Morgenstern Elizabeth 0 anchoress 4.00 2011
author: Erin Morgenstern
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves: anchoress
review:

]]> 27883214 A legendary competition.
A mesmerizing romance.
An unbreakable bond
between two sisters.

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.]]> 407 Stephanie Garber 1250095255 Elizabeth 0 anchoress 3.97 2016
author: Stephanie Garber
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves: anchoress
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]]> 61884813 If you knew how dark tomorrow would be, what would you do with today?

Ringmaster � Rin, to those who know her best � can jump to different moments in time as easily as her wife, Odette, soars from bar to bar on the trapeze. And the circus they lead is a rare home and safe haven for magical misfits and outcasts, known as Sparks.

With the world still reeling from World War I, Rin and her troupe � the Circus of the Fantasticals � travel the midwest, offering a single night of enchantment and respite to all who step into their Big Top.

But threats come at Rin from all sides. The future holds an impending war that the Sparks can see barrelling toward their show and everyone in it. And Rin's past creeps closer every day, a malevolent shadow she can’t fully escape.

It takes the form of another circus, with tents as black as midnight and a ringmaster who rules over his troupe with a dangerous power. Rin's circus has something he wants, and he won't stop until it's his.]]> 336 J.R. Dawson 1250805546 Elizabeth 0 anchoress 3.56 2023
author: J.R. Dawson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves: anchoress
review:

]]> 59406549 Why save the world when you can have tea?

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling on some of the city's most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the sinister, glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.

From the New York Times—bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame comes the first book in a hotly anticipated fantasy duology teeming with romance and revenge, led by an orphan girl willing to do whatever it takes to save her self-made kingdom. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.]]> 338 Hafsah Faizal 0374389403 Elizabeth 4 3.49 2024
author: Hafsah Faizal
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/06/12
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]]> 61273131 Two rival apprentice sorcerers must team up to save their teachers and protect their own magic in this lively young adult romantic adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of In Deeper Waters and So This Is Ever After.

Edison Rooker isn’t sure what to expect when he enters the office of Antonia Hex, the powerful sorceress who runs a call center for magical emergencies. He doesn’t have much experience with hexes or curses. Heck, he doesn’t even have magic. But he does have a plan—to regain the access to the magical world he lost when his grandmother passed.

Antonia is…intimidating, but she gives him a job and a new name—Rook—both of which he’s happy to accept. Now all Rook has to do is keep his Spell Binder, an illegal magical detection device, hidden from the Magical Consortium. And contend with Sun, the grumpy and annoyingly cute apprentice to Antonia’s rival colleague, Fable. But dealing with competition isn’t so bad; as Sun seems to pop up more and more, and Rook minds less and less.

But when the Consortium gets wind of Rook’s Spell Binder, they come for Antonia. All alone, Rook runs to the only other magical person he knows: Sun. Except Fable has also been attacked, and now Rook and Sun have no choice but to work together to get their mentors back…or face losing their magic forever.]]> 336 F.T. Lukens 1665916222 Elizabeth 4 4.13 2023
author: F.T. Lukens
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/06/12
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]]> 52339313
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.]]> 344 Aiden Thomas 1250250463 Elizabeth 4 4.26 2020
author: Aiden Thomas
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/06/12
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]]> 55302933
A spellbinding tale of dark family secrets, magic and witches, and creatures of myth and the sea; of strong women and the men who seek to control them.]]> 337 A.G. Slatter Elizabeth 2
I was halfway through by the time it felt like the story really began and even then, I wasn't sure what it was or if I cared.

The writing style and voice feel very Victorian which works for a gothic novel but keeps the narrating character at a strict emotional distance from the reader. More showing, less telling, the reader what Miren is feeling could've done a world of good just to make her more engaging.

I wish a few more scenes hung around for the aftermath, too. The far and few moments where Miren encounters mer folk and creatures are over within the same paragraph. The biggest offender are the gallows ghosts in chapter 18. A fantastic fairy tale of a chapter that ends like someone's switched the TV off a minute or two before it's over. There's no resonance, there's no tension, there's no time for the reader to think "oh no! How is she--? Ah, she's got out of it. Wow girl very clever". That happens in more or less a single line and we lose the impact.

If the writer could hang there a little longer, let it resonate, let us see the characters' reactions (show > tell us they're scared) then these would've kept me hooked.

As it is, it might be a DNF.]]> 3.95 2021
author: A.G. Slatter
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2024/06/12
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The folklore that goes into this is fascinating and I love the sinister motif of the O'Malleys but I just couldn't get into this book.

I was halfway through by the time it felt like the story really began and even then, I wasn't sure what it was or if I cared.

The writing style and voice feel very Victorian which works for a gothic novel but keeps the narrating character at a strict emotional distance from the reader. More showing, less telling, the reader what Miren is feeling could've done a world of good just to make her more engaging.

I wish a few more scenes hung around for the aftermath, too. The far and few moments where Miren encounters mer folk and creatures are over within the same paragraph. The biggest offender are the gallows ghosts in chapter 18. A fantastic fairy tale of a chapter that ends like someone's switched the TV off a minute or two before it's over. There's no resonance, there's no tension, there's no time for the reader to think "oh no! How is she--? Ah, she's got out of it. Wow girl very clever". That happens in more or less a single line and we lose the impact.

If the writer could hang there a little longer, let it resonate, let us see the characters' reactions (show > tell us they're scared) then these would've kept me hooked.

As it is, it might be a DNF.
]]> 135802269
Aboard are the heirs of the twelve provinces of Concordia, each graced with a unique and secret magical ability known as a Blessing.

Except one: Ganymedes Piscero - class clown, slacker, and all-round disappointment.

When a beloved heir is murdered, everyone is a suspect. Stuck at sea and surrounded by powerful people without a Blessing to protect him, odds of survival are slim.

But as the bodies pile higher, Ganymedes must become the hero he was not born to be. Can he unmask the killer and their blessing before this bloody crusade reaches the shores of Concordia?

Or will the empire as he knows it fall?]]> 496 Frances White 0241640075 Elizabeth 5 fantastic, lgbtq, hilarious 4.03 2024
author: Frances White
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/03/06
shelves: fantastic, lgbtq, hilarious
review:

]]> 41182168
London, 1593. Kate wakes as Emilia - the mistress of a nobleman - and finds the plague at her door. Afflicted by premonitions of a burnt and lifeless city, she sets out to save the world. Each decision she makes will change her life with Ben for ever.

A story of love and alternate universes, madness and time travel, The Heavens is a dream bound up in a strange awakening; it is a novel of what we have lost, and what we might yet be able to save.]]> 272 Sandra Newman 1783784849 Elizabeth 4 3.22 2019
author: Sandra Newman
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.22
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/23
date added: 2023/04/18
shelves:
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]]> 2871390 Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel, and Jamaica Inn she transformed the small dramas of everyday life—love, grief, jealousy—into the stuff of nightmares. Less known, though no less powerful, are her short stories, in which she gave free rein to her imagination in narratives of unflagging suspense.

Patrick McGrath's revelatory new selection of du Maurier's stories shows her at her most chilling and most psychologically astute: a dead child reappears in the alleyways of Venice; routine eye surgery reveals the beast within to a meek housewife; nature revolts against man's abuse by turning a benign species into an annihilating force; a dalliance with a beautiful stranger offers something more dangerous than a broken heart. McGrath draws on the whole of du Maurier's long career and includes surprising discoveries together with famous stories like "The Birds". Don't Look Now is a perfect introduction to a peerless storyteller.]]> 346 Daphne du Maurier 1590172884 Elizabeth 1 4.05 2007
author: Daphne du Maurier
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2007
rating: 1
read at: 2022/11/02
date added: 2023/03/31
shelves:
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]]> 108202 Adam has a lot to learn about Eve, and even more from her, as she names the animals, discovers fire, and introduces all manner of innovations to their garden home. Mark Twain's "translation" of the diaries of the first man and woman offers a humorous "he said/she said" narrative of biblical events. The great American storyteller found comfort and inspiration in the company of women, and his irreverent look at conventional religion is also a thoughtful -- and humorous -- argument for gender equality.]]> 95 Mark Twain Elizabeth 4 3.98 1906
author: Mark Twain
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1906
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/30
date added: 2023/01/15
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]]> 213653
This Penguin Classics edition features an introduction by Alan Furst.]]> 224 Graham Greene 0143039113 Elizabeth 2 3.79 1943
author: Graham Greene
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.79
book published: 1943
rating: 2
read at: 2023/01/09
date added: 2023/01/15
shelves:
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]]> 67729 'There is no Light without Darknesse and no Substance without Shaddowe'

So proclaims Nicholas Dyer, assistant to Sir Christopher Wren and man with a commission to build seven London churches to stand as beacons of the enlightenment. But Dyer plans to conceal a dark secret at the heart of each church - to create a forbidding architecture that will survive for eternity.

Two hundred and fifty years later, London detective Nicholas Hawksmoor is investigating a series of gruesome murders on the sites of certain eighteenth-century churches - crimes that make no sense to the modern mind ...]]> 217 Peter Ackroyd 0140171134 Elizabeth 3 3.48 1985
author: Peter Ackroyd
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.48
book published: 1985
rating: 3
read at: 2022/12/28
date added: 2023/01/15
shelves:
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]]> 55878999 Welcome to The Sunbearer Trials, where teen semidioses compete in a series of challenges with the highest of stakes, in this electric new Mexican-inspired fantasy from Aiden Thomas, the New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys.

“Only the most powerful and honorable semidioses get chosen. I’m just a Jade. I’m not a real hero.�

As each new decade begins, the Sun’s power must be replenished so that Sol can keep traveling along the sky and keep the evil Obsidian gods at bay. Ten semidioses between the ages of thirteen and eighteen are selected by Sol himself as the most worthy to compete in The Sunbearer Trials. The winner carries light and life to all the temples of Reino del Sol, but the loser has the greatest honor of all―they will be sacrificed to Sol, their body used to fuel the Sun Stones that will protect the people of Reino del Sol for the next ten years.

Teo, a 17-year-old Jade semidiós and the trans son of Quetzal, goddess of birds, has never worried about the Trials…or rather, he’s only worried for others. His best friend Niya―daughter of Tierra, the god of earth―is one of the strongest heroes of their generation and is much too likely to be chosen this year. He also can’t help but worry (reluctantly, and under protest) for Aurelio, a powerful Gold semidiós and Teo’s friend-turned-rival who is a shoo-in for the Trials. Teo wouldn’t mind taking Aurelio down a notch or two, but a one-in-ten chance of death is a bit too close for Teo’s taste.

But then, for the first time in over a century, Sol chooses a semidiós who isn’t a Gold. In fact, he chooses two: Xio, the 13-year-old child of Mala Suerte, god of bad luck, and…Teo. Now they must compete in five mysterious trials, against opponents who are both more powerful and better trained, for fame, glory, and their own survival.]]> 352 Aiden Thomas Elizabeth 0 currently-reading 4.31 2022
author: Aiden Thomas
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/23
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 18302455 alternate cover for ISBN 9780385351393

When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful internet company, she feels she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime. The Circle, run out of a sprawling California campus, links users� personal emails, social media, banking, and purchasing with their universal operating system, resulting in one online identity and a new age of civility and transparency.

As Mae tours the open-plan office spaces, the towering glass dining facilities, the cozy dorms for those who spend nights at work, she is thrilled with the company’s modernity and activity. There are parties that last through the night, there are famous musicians playing on the lawn, there are athletic activities and clubs and brunches, and even an aquarium of rare fish retrieved from the Marianas Trench by the CEO.

Mae can’t believe her luck, her great fortune to work for the most influential company in the world—even as life beyond the campus grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken, even as her role at the Circle becomes increasingly public.

What begins as the captivating story of one woman’s ambition and idealism soon becomes a heart-racing novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge.]]> 493 Dave Eggers Elizabeth 3 3.41 2013
author: Dave Eggers
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.41
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2022/10/02
date added: 2022/12/23
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]]> 25667918 For the first time in hardcover, the winner of the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award!

With a new foreword by N. K. Jemisin

Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.

Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti's stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.

If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself -- but first she has to make it there, alive.

The Binti Series
Book 1: Binti
Book 2: Binti: Home
Book 3: Binti: The Night Masquerade]]> 96 Nnedi Okorafor 0765384469 Elizabeth 3 3.81 2015
author: Nnedi Okorafor
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2022/09/30
date added: 2022/12/23
shelves:
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]]> 21265321 Set on a distant planet, Bloodchild is Octavia E. Butler’s shattering meditation on symbiosis, love, power and tough choices. It won the Hugo, Locus, Nebula and Science Fiction Chronicle awards and is widely regarded as one of her greatest works.

Years ago, a group known as the Terrans left Earth in search of a life free of persecution. Now they live alongside the Tlic, an alien race who face extinction; their only chance of survival is to plant their larvae inside the bodies of the humans.

When Gan, a young boy, is chosen as a carrier of Tlic eggs, he faces an impossible dilemma: can he really help the species he has grown up with, even if it means sacrificing his own life?

Perfect for fans of the thrilling Arrival and the works of Ursula Le Guin.]]> 31 Octavia E. Butler Elizabeth 4 4.01 1984
author: Octavia E. Butler
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1984
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/15
date added: 2022/12/23
shelves:
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]]> 179780 385 William Peter Blatty Elizabeth 5 4.20 1971
author: William Peter Blatty
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1971
rating: 5
read at: 2022/11/05
date added: 2022/12/23
shelves:
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]]> 530965
The triffids are grotesque and dangerous plants, over seven feet tall, originally cultivated for their yield of high-grade oil. So long as conditions give the mastery to their human directors, they are a valuable asset to mankind. But when a sudden universal disaster turns those conditions upside down, then the triffids, seizing their opportunity, become an active and dreadful menace.

The story of what happens is told here by one of the few people lucky enough to escape the disaster.]]> 228 John Wyndham 0812967127 Elizabeth 3 4.01 1951
author: John Wyndham
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1951
rating: 3
read at: 2022/12/20
date added: 2022/12/23
shelves:
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]]> 13258 258 Zoë Heller 0312421990 Elizabeth 3 3.72 2003
author: Zoë Heller
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2003
rating: 3
read at: 2022/12/22
date added: 2022/12/22
shelves:
review:
Fantastically written and accomplished but my god do you feel depressed afterwards
]]> 23031 Time's Arrow the doctor Tod T. Friendly dies and then feels markedly better, breaks up with his lovers as a prelude to seducing them, and mangles his patients before he sends them home. And all the while Tod's life races backward in time toward the one appalling moment in modern history when such reversals make sense.

]]> 165 Martin Amis 0679735720 Elizabeth 3 3.78 1991
author: Martin Amis
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1991
rating: 3
read at: 2022/07/20
date added: 2022/12/20
shelves:
review:

]]> 26032825 Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.]]> 370 Holly Black 0316310271 Elizabeth 3 next-reads 4.01 2018
author: Holly Black
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2022/06/24
date added: 2022/07/10
shelves: next-reads
review:

]]> 26032887 The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.]]> 336 Holly Black 0316310336 Elizabeth 3 4.27 2019
author: Holly Black
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2022/06/30
date added: 2022/07/10
shelves:
review:

]]> 26032912 He will be destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne.

Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.

Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.

And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity�

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, comes the highly anticipated and jaw-dropping finale to The Folk of the Air trilogy.]]> 321 Holly Black 0316310409 Elizabeth 3 4.33 2019
author: Holly Black
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2022/07/09
date added: 2022/07/10
shelves:
review:

]]> 2493
So begins the Time Traveller’s astonishing firsthand account of his journey 800,000 years beyond his own era—and the story that launched H.G. Wells’s successful career and earned him his reputation as the father of science fiction. With a speculative leap that still fires the imagination, Wells sends his brave explorer to face a future burdened with our greatest hopes...and our darkest fears. A pull of the Time Machine’s lever propels him to the age of a slowly dying Earth.Ěý There he discovers two bizarre races—the ethereal Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks—who not only symbolize the duality of human nature, but offer a terrifying portrait of the men of tomorrow as well.Ěý Published in 1895, this masterpiece of invention captivated readers on the threshold of a new century. Thanks to Wells’s expert storytelling and provocative insight, The Time Machine will continue to enthrall readers for generations to come.

Ěý±Ő±Ő> 118 H.G. Wells Elizabeth 4 3.91 1895
author: H.G. Wells
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.91
book published: 1895
rating: 4
read at: 2022/07/09
date added: 2022/07/10
shelves:
review:

]]> 34605974 From #1 New York Times bestselling authors Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu comes the second book in the Eldest Curses series and a thrilling new adventure for High Warlock Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood, for whom a death-defying mission into the heart of evil is not just a job, it’s also a romantic getaway. The Lost Book of the White is a Shadowhunters novel.

Life is good for Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood. They’re living together in a fabulous loft, their warlock son, Max, has started learning to walk, and the streets of New York are peaceful and quiet—as peaceful and quiet as they ever are, anyway.

Until the night that two old acquaintances break into Magnus’s apartment and steal the powerful Book of the White. Now Magnus and Alec will have to drop everything to get it back. They need to follow the thieves to Shanghai, they need to call some backup to accompany them, and they need a babysitter.

Also, someone has stabbed Magnus with a strange magical weapon and the wound is glowing, so they have that to worry about too.

Fortunately, their backup consists of Clary, Jace, Isabelle, and newly minted Shadowhunter Simon. In Shanghai, they learn that a much darker threat awaits them. Magnus’s magic is growing unstable, and if they can’t stop the demons flooding into the city, they might have to follow them all the way back to the source—to the very realm of the dead. Can they stop the threat to the world? Will they make it back home before their kid completely wears out Alec’s mom?]]> 365 Cassandra Clare 1471162095 Elizabeth 3 3.97 2020
author: Cassandra Clare
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2022/01/18
date added: 2022/02/28
shelves:
review:

]]> 59782565 Follow Tsalix Silverthorn and his men on their epic journey...]]> 290 Richard M Siddoway 195240455X Elizabeth 3
SPOILERS AHEAD � Read at your own peril*

2 brothers. 1 throne. World War.

Twin princes, Abadon and Johona, are tearing the land apart over their father’s throne while Tsalix and three men are sent to retrieve prophesied talismans that could unlock the Scepter of Power and restore peace.

In the fourth instalment, the death of the King creates an even greater urgency to recover the Scepter of Destiny. The final battle between the twin princes to replace their father as ruler over the Kingdom of Sodizen is imminent.

Abadon plans strategically to steal the talismans from Tsalix and his men, but freeing the sceptre from its resting place in the mountain turns out to be more difficult than imagined, and using it wisely proves to be fit only for the worthy.

The first thing I’ll say for author Richard Siddoway is that he knows the genre. Each instalment in the Silverthorn series has been an amalgamation of every high fantasy you will have read so far. The worldbuilding, the unpronounceable names, the monarchy, the prophecies � they are all trope staples of the genre and, to his credit, Siddoway crafts them well.

Towards the beginning, I always need a bit of time to get used to Siddoway's notoriously short chapters again. Often, they only afford vital scenes a snapshot space to develop and this simply doesn't give space to Siddoway's writing to breathe. But, unlike other fantasy novels, I would argue that this structure does keep you reading for longer. In fact, I found myself reading Tsalix Silverthorn and the Glittering Peak for far longer than I meant to.

“You demand everyone live the way you want them to live. They have no freedom. What a plan for misery."

I always enjoy religious allusion in high fantasy and, between the Jekyll and Hyde twin princes, Siddoway certainly delivers.

Johona seems to draw his name from several wise biblical figures: Noah, John, and Jonah all seem to dwell in the guidance he offers protagonist Tsalix. In this way, we watch Tsalix develop his own faith and confidence in his morality.

Abadon is likewise aptly named although his character falls a little short.

Having read the first book of this series, I’ve seen where Abadon began and now I’m finding myself mourning a little for what Siddoway could have done with him. The �two sides of the same coin� trope is riveting because it shows us how thin the line was between those two sides. But with the “psychopath� prince and the “noble� prince, I keep finding myself aching for how this could be twisted and reshaped in interesting ways.

Chapter 68 is a pivotal dialogue scene between the two brothers that could have delivered some interesting perspectives but it falls short. Where I hoped to see some of Siddoway's fascinating perspective on the classic genre, all I saw was the age-old "Compliance means peace!" "But brother, what about the people's free will?!" It was a letdown from Siddoway given his creative relationship with the genre thus far.

That brings me to my next point: Wow. That is a lot of male characters.

If you’re a lover of the fantasy genre, like me, you’ll be just as familiar with how chock-full of men it is. Much of the love for the genre comes from the classics � Dune, Lord of the Rings � which can be forgiven (to a degree) for being so androcentric. But the passion and enthusiasm for new blood in the genre � recently, Six of Crows and the Grishaverse, His Dark Materials, Game of Thrones � is being driven by a rapidly growing demographic of minority readers who are finally finding themselves in books that have historically been written without them.

The thing that stood out the most for me while reading Tsalix Silverthorn and the Glittering Peak is that it feels like reading a classic. It succeeds at its worldbuilding because you can feel the immersion of an author who has written this land as a second home � it has the Tolkien factor. Every new prophesied item or fabled mountain has that nostalgic ring of classic fantasy to it. Every character feels like the white knight hero or easy villain so we know exactly who to point and cheer or boo at.

And that would be fine if this was a classic fantasy.

Like I’ve said, Siddoway knows the genre. But this falls short of the current market. Tsalix Silverthorn and the Glittering Peak, releasing this year, does not have the excuse of sitting in classic territory yet. It needs to bring that extra kick into the genre or it can’t stand up against the current bestsellers in the market that are introducing female characters, queer characters, and people of colour into the genre in major roles for the first time in mainstream fantasy. The market has shifted and this means that otherwise would-be classic competitors are falling behind: Silverthorn included.

The dragon sisters were a nice touch but they lacked that confidence of existence the other characters had. Every scene feels as though they must prove themselves worthy to be included in the story.

I am a fan of Siddoway’s latest instalment into the series and the story is a compelling one but, for this book to have kept the saga in its glory, it needed to bring something extra and it hasn’t.

"If you could right any wrong, what would it be?"]]> 3.50
author: Richard M Siddoway
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.50
book published:
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2022/02/28
shelves:
review:
“The counsel I would give you is that it is better to use it to heal than to wound.�

SPOILERS AHEAD � Read at your own peril*

2 brothers. 1 throne. World War.

Twin princes, Abadon and Johona, are tearing the land apart over their father’s throne while Tsalix and three men are sent to retrieve prophesied talismans that could unlock the Scepter of Power and restore peace.

In the fourth instalment, the death of the King creates an even greater urgency to recover the Scepter of Destiny. The final battle between the twin princes to replace their father as ruler over the Kingdom of Sodizen is imminent.

Abadon plans strategically to steal the talismans from Tsalix and his men, but freeing the sceptre from its resting place in the mountain turns out to be more difficult than imagined, and using it wisely proves to be fit only for the worthy.

The first thing I’ll say for author Richard Siddoway is that he knows the genre. Each instalment in the Silverthorn series has been an amalgamation of every high fantasy you will have read so far. The worldbuilding, the unpronounceable names, the monarchy, the prophecies � they are all trope staples of the genre and, to his credit, Siddoway crafts them well.

Towards the beginning, I always need a bit of time to get used to Siddoway's notoriously short chapters again. Often, they only afford vital scenes a snapshot space to develop and this simply doesn't give space to Siddoway's writing to breathe. But, unlike other fantasy novels, I would argue that this structure does keep you reading for longer. In fact, I found myself reading Tsalix Silverthorn and the Glittering Peak for far longer than I meant to.

“You demand everyone live the way you want them to live. They have no freedom. What a plan for misery."

I always enjoy religious allusion in high fantasy and, between the Jekyll and Hyde twin princes, Siddoway certainly delivers.

Johona seems to draw his name from several wise biblical figures: Noah, John, and Jonah all seem to dwell in the guidance he offers protagonist Tsalix. In this way, we watch Tsalix develop his own faith and confidence in his morality.

Abadon is likewise aptly named although his character falls a little short.

Having read the first book of this series, I’ve seen where Abadon began and now I’m finding myself mourning a little for what Siddoway could have done with him. The �two sides of the same coin� trope is riveting because it shows us how thin the line was between those two sides. But with the “psychopath� prince and the “noble� prince, I keep finding myself aching for how this could be twisted and reshaped in interesting ways.

Chapter 68 is a pivotal dialogue scene between the two brothers that could have delivered some interesting perspectives but it falls short. Where I hoped to see some of Siddoway's fascinating perspective on the classic genre, all I saw was the age-old "Compliance means peace!" "But brother, what about the people's free will?!" It was a letdown from Siddoway given his creative relationship with the genre thus far.

That brings me to my next point: Wow. That is a lot of male characters.

If you’re a lover of the fantasy genre, like me, you’ll be just as familiar with how chock-full of men it is. Much of the love for the genre comes from the classics � Dune, Lord of the Rings � which can be forgiven (to a degree) for being so androcentric. But the passion and enthusiasm for new blood in the genre � recently, Six of Crows and the Grishaverse, His Dark Materials, Game of Thrones � is being driven by a rapidly growing demographic of minority readers who are finally finding themselves in books that have historically been written without them.

The thing that stood out the most for me while reading Tsalix Silverthorn and the Glittering Peak is that it feels like reading a classic. It succeeds at its worldbuilding because you can feel the immersion of an author who has written this land as a second home � it has the Tolkien factor. Every new prophesied item or fabled mountain has that nostalgic ring of classic fantasy to it. Every character feels like the white knight hero or easy villain so we know exactly who to point and cheer or boo at.

And that would be fine if this was a classic fantasy.

Like I’ve said, Siddoway knows the genre. But this falls short of the current market. Tsalix Silverthorn and the Glittering Peak, releasing this year, does not have the excuse of sitting in classic territory yet. It needs to bring that extra kick into the genre or it can’t stand up against the current bestsellers in the market that are introducing female characters, queer characters, and people of colour into the genre in major roles for the first time in mainstream fantasy. The market has shifted and this means that otherwise would-be classic competitors are falling behind: Silverthorn included.

The dragon sisters were a nice touch but they lacked that confidence of existence the other characters had. Every scene feels as though they must prove themselves worthy to be included in the story.

I am a fan of Siddoway’s latest instalment into the series and the story is a compelling one but, for this book to have kept the saga in its glory, it needed to bring something extra and it hasn’t.

"If you could right any wrong, what would it be?"
]]> 36173628 The Color Purple is a classic. With over a million copies sold in the UK alone, it is hailed as one of the all-time 'greats' of literature, inspiring generations of readers.

Set in the deep American South between the wars, The Color Purple is the tale of Celie, a young black girl born into poverty and segregation. Raped repeatedly by the man she calls 'father', she has two children taken away from her, is separated from her beloved sister Nettie and is trapped into an ugly marriage. But then she meets the glamorous Shug Avery � and magic-maker � a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny. Gradually, Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves.]]> 262 Alice Walker Elizabeth 4 4.30 1982
author: Alice Walker
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.30
book published: 1982
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/02/07
shelves:
review:

]]> 28954137 City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows he was friends with Clary, and that he convinced the total goddess Isabelle Lightwood to go out with him…but he doesn’t know how. And when Clary and Isabelle look at him, expecting him to be a man he doesn’t remember…Simon can’t take it.

So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. His new self. Whomever this new Simon might be.

But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. And that differences—like being a former vampire—are greatly looked down upon. At least Simon is trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.

Join Simon on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy’s illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. These ten short stories give an epilogue to the Mortal Instruments series and provide glimpses of what’s in store in the Dark Artifices.]]> 655 Cassandra Clare 1481443259 Elizabeth 2 4.30 2016
author: Cassandra Clare
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2022/01/08
date added: 2022/01/09
shelves:
review:

]]> 57986811 In 1926, Grindelwald is captured for the first time by Newt Scamander, making his followers go into hiding. The Petrov family, an ancient pure-blood eastern European family, is forced to flee to Romania while chased by the Ministry of Magic. While waiting for Grindlewald's return, the family has their first daughter, Varya Petrov. Soon after, her parents are killed by Grindleward's enemies. After attending Scholomance, a small magic school hidden in the depths of Transylvania's forests, for four years, she is called to Hogwarts. Dumbledore has a mission that only she will be capable to do: to stop Tom Riddle from succumbing to his darkest desire. Varya only has one wish: to redeem her parents' mistakes and find her place in the wizarding world. She will do anything to achieve it, even if it means changing the devil's fate.]]> 700 Thesehunprint Elizabeth 5 4.63
author: Thesehunprint
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.63
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
shelves:
review:

]]> 135836 ''The best book ever written by man or woman . . . Deserves to sell more copies than the Bible" �Rebel Inc

THE BESTSELLING NOVEL THAT INSPIRED DANNY BOYLE’S CULT FILM

Described by The Sunday Times as "the voice of punk, grown up, grown wiser and grown eloquent," Trainspotting follows the lives of a group of Scottish junkies. Its bleak depiction of drug addiction is vivid and brutal, and has lost none of its power to shock. Choose the book that outraged the critics. Choose the literary phenomenon that defined a generation. Choose Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh.]]> 431 Irvine Welsh 0099465892 Elizabeth 1 4.16 1993
author: Irvine Welsh
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1993
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
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review:

]]> 36236124 Fight Club’s estranged narrator leaves his lackluster job when he comes under the thrall of Tyler Durden, an enigmatic young man who holds secret after-hours boxing matches in the basement of bars. There, two men fight "as long as they have to." This is a gloriously original work that exposes the darkness at the core of our modern world.]]> 224 Chuck Palahniuk 0393355942 Elizabeth 4 4.18 1996
author: Chuck Palahniuk
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.18
book published: 1996
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
shelves:
review:

]]> 39835415
Is there more to Alice than meets the eye? Fleetwood must risk everything to prove her innocence. As the two women’s lives become intertwined, the Witch Trials of 1612 loom. Time is running out; both their lives are at stake. Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other.

Rich and compelling, set against the frenzy of the real Pendle Hill Witch Trials, this novel explores the rights of 17th-century women and raises the question: Was witch-hunting really women-hunting? Fleetwood Shuttleworth, Alice Grey and the other characters are actual historical figures. King James I was obsessed with asserting power over the lawless countryside (even woodland creatures, or “familiars,� were suspected of dark magic) by capturing “witches”—in reality mostly poor and illiterate women.]]> 420 Stacey Halls Elizabeth 4 3.85 2019
author: Stacey Halls
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
shelves:
review:

]]> 19547856
With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.]]> 320 Becky Albertalli 0062348671 Elizabeth 2 4.14 2015
author: Becky Albertalli
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
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review:

]]> 13497 Crows will fight over a dead man's flesh, and kill each other for his eyes.

Bloodthirsty, treacherous and cunning, the Lannisters are in power on the Iron Throne in the name of the boy-king Tommen. The war in the Seven Kingdoms has burned itself out, but in its bitter aftermath new conflicts spark to life.

The Martells of Dorne and the Starks of Winterfell seek vengeance for their dead. Euron Crow's Eye, as black a pirate as ever raised a sail, returns from the smoking ruins of Valyria to claim the Iron Isles. From the icy north, where Others threaten the Wall, apprentice Maester Samwell Tarly brings a mysterious babe in arms to the Citadel.

Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory will go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel and the coldest hearts.]]> 1060 George R.R. Martin 055358202X Elizabeth 4 4.16 2005
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 2021/01/01
date added: 2022/01/06
shelves:
review:

]]> 62291 An alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

Here is the third volume in George R.R. Martin's magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. Together, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, victim of the sorceress who holds him in her thrall. Young Robb still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. And as opposing forces manoeuver for the final showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost limits of civilization, accompanied by a horde of mythical Others—a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...]]> 1177 George R.R. Martin 055357342X Elizabeth 5 4.54 2000
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2000
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
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review:

]]> 10572
It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.

Here is the second volume in George R.R. Martin magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R.R. Martin stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.]]> 1009 George R.R. Martin 0553381695 Elizabeth 4 4.42 1998
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.42
book published: 1998
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
shelves:
review:

]]> 13496
Sweeping from a harsh land of cold to a summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, A Game of Thrones tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; a child is lost in the twilight between life and death; and a determined woman undertakes a treacherous journey to protect all she holds dear. Amid plots and counter-plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, allies and enemies, the fate of the Starks hangs perilously in the balance, as each side endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.]]> 835 George R.R. Martin 0553588486 Elizabeth 5 4.44 1996
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.44
book published: 1996
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
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review:

]]> 838729 385 J.R.R. Tolkien 0345240340 Elizabeth 4 4.64 1955
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.64
book published: 1955
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
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review:

]]> 222910 Alternate Cover Edition ISBN 0345296060 (ISBN13: 9780345296061)

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

Frodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria. And Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape, the rest of the company was attacked by Orcs. Now they continue the journey alone down the great River Anduin—alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.]]> 447 J.R.R. Tolkien Elizabeth 4 4.57 1954
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.57
book published: 1954
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
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review:

]]> 3263607 One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.]]> 527 J.R.R. Tolkien Elizabeth 3 4.51 1954
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.51
book published: 1954
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
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]]> 5907 Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. The text in this 372-page paperback edition is based on that first published in Great Britain by Collins Modern Classics (1998), and includes a note on the text by Douglas A. Anderson (2001).]]> 366 J.R.R. Tolkien Elizabeth 3 4.29 1937
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1937
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2022/01/06
shelves:
review:

]]> 943402
But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door—a girl who has never seen a Rubik's Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night....]]> 513 John Ajvide Lindqvist 1847241697 Elizabeth 4 4.08 2004
author: John Ajvide Lindqvist
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2004
rating: 4
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date added: 2022/01/06
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]]> 32828538 From the national bestselling author of Alice comes a familiar story with a dark hook—a tale about Peter Pan and the friend who became his nemesis, a nemesis who may not be the blackhearted villain Peter says he is�

There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and favorite—lost boy to his greatest enemy.
Ěý
Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter's idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. Because it’s never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock—the kinds of playthings that bite.

Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever. Peter lies.]]> 292 Christina Henry 0399584021 Elizabeth 4 4.22 2017
author: Christina Henry
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2017
rating: 4
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]]> 283494
Miserable and convinced she belongs nowhere, Kaye decides to tell her mother the truth -- that she is a changeling left in place of the human daughter stolen long ago. Her mother's shock and horror sends Kaye back to the world of Faerie to find her human counterpart and return her to Ironside. But once back in the faerie courts, Kaye finds herself a pawn in the games of Silarial, queen of the Seelie Court. Silarial wants Roiben's throne, and she will use Kaye, and any means necessary, to get it. In this game of wits and weapons, can a pixie outplay a queen?

Holly Black spins a seductive tale at once achingly real and chillingly enchanted, set in a dangerous world where pleasure mingles with pain and nothing is exactly as it appears.]]> 323 Holly Black 0689868200 Elizabeth 4 4.01 2007
author: Holly Black
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2007
rating: 4
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]]> 266607
But there's something eerily beguiling about Val's new friends. And when one talks Val into tracking down the lair of a mysterious creature with whom they are all involved, Val finds herself torn between her newfound affection for an honorable monster and her fear of what her new friends are becoming.]]> 314 Holly Black 0689868235 Elizabeth 4 3.84 2005
author: Holly Black
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2005
rating: 4
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]]> 195733
The death of legendary jazz trumpeter Joss Moody exposes an extraordinary secret, one that enrages his adopted son, Colman, leading him to collude with a tabloid journalist. Besieged by the press, his widow Millie flees to a remote Scottish village, where she seeks solace in memories of their marriage. The reminiscences of those who knew Joss Moody render a moving portrait of a shared life founded on an intricate lie, one that preserved a rare, unconditional love.]]> 278 Jackie Kay 0375704639 Elizabeth 4 4.07 1998
author: Jackie Kay
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1998
rating: 4
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]]> 9516
Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.]]> 153 Marjane Satrapi 037571457X Elizabeth 4 4.27 2003
author: Marjane Satrapi
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2003
rating: 4
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]]> 36430011
There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance� meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

A terrifying exploration of how vulnerable we all are to stalking and manipulation.]]> 464 Caroline Kepnes 1501195433 Elizabeth 4 4.03 2014
author: Caroline Kepnes
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2014
rating: 4
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]]> 43842058 WITCH by Rebecca Tamás is a raw, strange book of poems that merges feminist exploration with occult expression and ecological language. At turns lyrical, philosophical and obscene, Tamáss astonishing debut evokes the sexual prowess of nature as an organism that swallows and consumes. These are poems that unsettle the reader, taking them to dark, magical places where earth and blood, politics and pornography, intermingle; they celebrate poetry as a small, bright, filthy song.]]> 120 Rebecca Tamás 1908058625 Elizabeth 5 3.53 2019
author: Rebecca Tamás
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2019
rating: 5
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]]> 29751398 The Power the world is a recognizable place: There's a rich Nigerian boy who lounges around the family pool; a foster kid whose religious parents hide their true nature; an ambitious American politician; and a tough London girl from a tricky family. But then a vital new force takes root and flourishes, causing their lives to converge with devastating effect. Teenage girls now have immense physical power: They can cause agonizing pain and even death. With this small twist of nature, the world drastically resets.]]> 341 Naomi Alderman 0670919985 Elizabeth 5 3.75 2016
author: Naomi Alderman
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2016
rating: 5
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]]> 39300155 Part ghost story, part Nordic thriller - this is a twisty, tense and spooky YA debut, perfect for fans of CORALINE and Michelle Paver.

Martha can tell things about a person just by touching their clothes, as if their emotions and memories have been absorbed into the material. It started the day she fell from the tree at her grandma's cabin and became blind in one eye.

Determined to understand her strange ability, Martha sets off to visit her grandmother, Mormor - only to discover Mormor is dead, a peculiar boy is in her cabin and a terrifying creature is on the loose.

Then the spinning wheel starts creaking, books move around and terror creeps in . . .

Set in the remote snows of contemporary Norway, THE TWISTED TREE is a ghost story that twists and turns - and never takes you quite where you'd expect.]]> 211 Rachel Burge 1471407772 Elizabeth 5 3.71 2018
author: Rachel Burge
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2018
rating: 5
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]]> 37796866 VOX is the harrowing, unforgettable story of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter.

On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed to speak more than 100 words daily, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial—this can't happen here. Not in America. Not to her.

This is just the beginning.

Soon women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard.

But this is not the end.

For herself, her daughter, and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice.]]> 336 Christina Dalcher 0440000785 Elizabeth 5 3.52 2018
author: Christina Dalcher
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2018
rating: 5
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]]> 10374 Lord Jim.

Science fiction, detective story and post-modern manifesto all rolled into one rip-roaring novel, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World is the tour de force that expanded Haruki Murakami's international following. Tracking one man's descent into the Kafkaesque underworld of contemporary Tokyo, Murakami unites East and West, tragedy and farce, compassion and detachment, slang and philosophy.]]> 400 Haruki Murakami Elizabeth 3 4.14 1985
author: Haruki Murakami
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1985
rating: 3
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]]> 26135825
Distant and exacting, Bruce Bechdel was an English teacher and director of the town funeral home, which Alison and her family referred to as the Fun Home. It was not until college that Alison, who had recently come out as a lesbian, discovered that her father was also gay. A few weeks after this revelation, he was dead, leaving a legacy of mystery for his daughter to resolve.]]> 232 Alison Bechdel 0618871713 Elizabeth 4 4.07 2006
author: Alison Bechdel
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2006
rating: 4
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]]> 2101924 272 David Maine 1841959650 Elizabeth 4 3.39 2004
author: David Maine
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.39
book published: 2004
rating: 4
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]]> 963617 320 Geoffrey Chaucer 0312111282 Elizabeth 4 3.63 1372
author: Geoffrey Chaucer
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.63
book published: 1372
rating: 4
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]]> 16150831
They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IAAN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.]]> 535 Alexandra Bracken 1423157524 Elizabeth 5 4.25 2014
author: Alexandra Bracken
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2014
rating: 5
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]]> 16150830
When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?]]> 507 Alexandra Bracken 1423157516 Elizabeth 4 4.21 2013
author: Alexandra Bracken
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2013
rating: 4
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]]> 10576365
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.]]> 488 Alexandra Bracken 1423157370 Elizabeth 3 4.17 2012
author: Alexandra Bracken
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2012
rating: 3
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]]> 714902
Sephy is a Cross -- a member of the dark-skinned ruling class. Callum is a Nought -- a “colourless� member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since early childhood, but that’s as far as it can go. In their world, Noughts and Crosses simply don’t mix. Against a background of prejudice and distrust, intensely highlighted by violent terrorist activity, a romance builds between Sephy and Callum -- a romance that is to lead both of them into terrible danger. Can they possibly find a way to be together?]]> 479 Malorie Blackman 0552555703 Elizabeth 4 4.20 2001
author: Malorie Blackman
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2001
rating: 4
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]]> 18126198 Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Divergent with a special edition of Four, a collection in the #1 New York Times bestselling series that captured the hearts of millions of readers and inspired a series of major motion pictures starring Shailene Woodley. This edition features exclusive content from Veronica Roth and beautiful reimagined cover art from award-winning illustrator Victo Ngai.

Readers first encountered Tobias as "Four" in Divergent and will find more of this charismatic character's backstory told from his own perspective in Four: A Divergent Collection. When read together, these long narrative pieces illuminate the defining moments in Tobias's life, from his transfer from Abnegation to Dauntless, his initiation, and the decisions of loyalty—and love—that Tobias makes in the weeks after he meets Tris Prior.

“The same mix of tension, uncertainty, and hope that made the original stories irresistible. A welcome trip down memory lane.� �Publishers Weekly

“Fans of Divergent who can’t get enough—and maybe even the rare reader who missed the first rush—will snap up this story collection told. It will fly off the shelves and for good reason.� —ALA Booklist]]> 285 Veronica Roth 0062285688 Elizabeth 4 3.95 2014
author: Veronica Roth
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2014
rating: 4
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]]> 18710190
But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend to complexities of human nature - and of herself - while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, ALLEGIANT, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the DIVERGENT series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in DIVERGENT and INSURGENT.]]> 531 Veronica Roth 0007524277 Elizabeth 5 3.59 2013
author: Veronica Roth
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2013
rating: 5
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]]> 960213 The Painted Bird or Agota Kristof’s Notebook Trilogy has there been such a harrowing novel about what it’s like to be a young person in a war. That Chris Abani is able to find humanity, mercy, and even, yes, forgiveness, amid such devastation is something of a miracle.”—Rebecca Brown, author of The End of Youth

"The moment you enter these pages, you step into a beautiful and terrifying dream. You are in the hands of a master, a literary shaman. Abani casts his spell so completely—so devastatingly—you emerge cleansed, redeemed, and utterly haunted."—Brad Kessler, author of Birds in Fall

Part Inferno, part Paradise Lost, and part Sunjiata epic, Song for Night is the story of a West African boy soldier’s lyrical, terrifying, yet beautiful journey through the nightmare landscape of a brutal war in search of his lost platoon. The reader is led by the voiceless protagonist who, as part of a land mine-clearing platoon, had his vocal chords cut, a move to keep these children from screaming when blown up, and thereby distracting the other minesweepers. The book is written in a ghostly voice, with each chapter headed by a line of the unique sign language these children invented. This book is unlike anything else ever written about an African war.

Chris Abani is a Nigerian poet and novelist and the author of The Virgin of Flames, Becoming Abigail (a New York Times Editor’s Choice), and GraceLand (a selection of the Today Show Book Club and winner of the 2005 PEN/Hemingway Prize and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award). His other prizes include a PEN Freedom to Write Award, a Prince Claus Award, and a Lannan Literary Fellowship. He lives and teaches in California.
]]> 164 Chris Abani 1933354313 Elizabeth 4 4.05 2007
author: Chris Abani
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2007
rating: 4
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]]> 40173
In this hilarious, deliciously skewed collection, Chelsea mines her past for stories about her family, relationships, and career that are at once singular and ridiculous. Whether she's convincing her third-grade class that she has been tapped to play Goldie Hawn's daughter in the sequel to Private Benjamin, deciding to be more egalitarian by dating a redhead, or looking out for a foulmouthed, rum-swilling little person who looks just like her... only smaller, Chelsea has a knack for getting herself into the most outrageous situations.

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea showcases the candor and irresistible turns of phrase that have made her one of the freshest voices in comedy today.]]> 264 Chelsea Handler 0061173398 Elizabeth 4 3.85 2008
author: Chelsea Handler
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2008
rating: 4
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]]> 43763
Louis and Claudia travel Europe, eventually coming to Paris and the ragingly successful Theatre des Vampires--a theatre of vampires pretending to be mortals pretending to be vampires. Here they meet the magnetic and ethereal Armand, who brings them into a whole society of vampires. But Louis and Claudia find that finding others like themselves provides no easy answers and in fact presents dangers they scarcely imagined.

Originally begun as a short story, the book took off as Anne wrote it, spinning the tragic and triumphant life experiences of a soul. As well as the struggles of its characters, Interview captures the political and social changes of two continents. The novel also introduces Lestat, Anne's most enduring character, a heady mixture of attraction and revulsion. The book, full of lush description, centers on the themes of immortality, change, loss, sexuality, and power.
source: annerice.com]]> 346 Anne Rice 0345476875 Elizabeth 5 4.04 1976
author: Anne Rice
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1976
rating: 5
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]]> 6396422 176 Helen Salter 1853409529 Elizabeth 4 3.33 2008
author: Helen Salter
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2008
rating: 4
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]]> 17161612 Will Luke be waiting for Holly when she gets back? And, when having the right image seems so important, will Holly be brave enough to drop the camouflage and be herself?]]> 166 Helen Salter 1853409138 Elizabeth 4 3.20 2007
author: Helen Salter
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.20
book published: 2007
rating: 4
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]]> 1628074 243 Helen Salter 141693801X Elizabeth 4 3.28 2005
author: Helen Salter
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.28
book published: 2005
rating: 4
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]]> 294442 304 Eva Ibbotson 0142501840 Elizabeth 4 4.20 2001
author: Eva Ibbotson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2001
rating: 4
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]]> 24666491 There is a race that takes place every year in Alaska called the Iditarod, a thousand mile journey across the Alaskan wilderness by dog sled team that has come to be known as the “Last Great Race on Earth�. It is a test of endurance, of the relationship between dogs and their people, traversing mountain ranges, frozen rivers, forest and tundra.

When writer Castiel Milton is forced to spend two and a half months in Alaska at Winchester Kennels to cover the race preparations and the Iditarod itself, the only person more dismayed than he is Dean Winchester, one of his hosts. Castiel views his assignment as a punishment and is less than impressed by his surly host, and Dean distrusts the sheltered city-born writer who has invaded their home and their lives. But soon, as the Winchesters prepare for their race and Castiel learns about sled dogs and what a musher’s lifestyle is all about, they forget to hate each other and their relationship evolves into something neither of them expected.
Words:82346 complete
art by milchscmidte]]> 247 wincechesters Elizabeth 4 4.67 2014
author: wincechesters
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2014
rating: 4
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]]> 1527187 229 Jacqueline Wilson 0385606052 Elizabeth 4 3.70 2003
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2003
rating: 4
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]]> 511567 "Mum said to just ignore them and they'll get tired of teasing. They haven't got tired yet."

Mandy is lonely. She's been bullied at school for as long as she can remember.

But then she meets Tanya. Fun, daring and glamorous Tanya wants Mandy as HER friend! She can't believe her luck.

There's only one issue though. Mandy's mum isn't happy. She thinks that Tanya is a BAD GIRL, and a bad influence on her daughter. But even if Tanya gets her into a TEENY bit of trouble, she can always get Mandy out of it - right?

From bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson, Bad Girls is a heartwarming story about confidence, friendship and becoming your own person. The perfect read to start difficult conversations with younger readers about bullying and how we treat others.

A rare gift for writing lightly and amusingly about emotional issues. - The Bookseller]]> 192 Jacqueline Wilson 0440867622 Elizabeth 3 3.59 1996
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.59
book published: 1996
rating: 3
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]]> 511661 208 Jacqueline Wilson 0440867606 Elizabeth 4 3.58 1994
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.58
book published: 1994
rating: 4
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]]> 511527 192 Jacqueline Wilson 0440867592 Elizabeth 3 3.75 1995
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1995
rating: 3
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]]> 850246 224 Jacqueline Wilson 0440865794 Elizabeth 3 3.67 2003
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2003
rating: 3
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]]> 850249




A superb handling of both the intricacies of young, female friendship and the joys and problems of having an older sister with learning disabilities, from our most accomplished and bestselling author.]]> 112 Jacqueline Wilson 0552547093 Elizabeth 3 3.59 2001
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2001
rating: 3
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]]> 266909 191 Jacqueline Wilson 0552552836 Elizabeth 4 3.53 2002
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2002
rating: 4
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]]> 266794 191 Jacqueline Wilson 0552551333 Elizabeth 3 3.60 1999
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.60
book published: 1999
rating: 3
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]]> 261905 205 Jacqueline Wilson 0552551325 Elizabeth 4 3.68 1998
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.68
book published: 1998
rating: 4
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]]> 266765
Join the girls as they work out how to deal with all the surprises that being a teenage can bring. Sometimes sad, sometimes scary and often funny, don't miss this unputdownable and hugely popular trilogy for teenage readers by the award-winning Jacqueline Wilson.]]> 160 Jacqueline Wilson 0552551317 Elizabeth 3 3.59 1997
author: Jacqueline Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.59
book published: 1997
rating: 3
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]]> 12781
From the back cover.]]> 561 Salman Rushdie 0312270828 Elizabeth 5 3.73 1988
author: Salman Rushdie
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.73
book published: 1988
rating: 5
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]]> 3950967
Additional notes for each story penned by Professor Albus Dumbledore will be enjoyed by Muggles and wizards alike, as the Professor muses on the morals illuminated by the tales, and reveals snippets of information about life at Hogwarts.

A uniquely magical volume, with illustrations by the author, J. K. Rowling, that will be treasured for years to come.]]> 105 J.K. Rowling 0747599874 Elizabeth 2 4.03 2008
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2008
rating: 2
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]]> 1108639 400 Sarah Bartlett 1402738382 Elizabeth 4 4.31 2006
author: Sarah Bartlett
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2006
rating: 4
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]]> 51497 'He put the glass to his lips and drank at one gulp... his face became suddenly black and the features seemed to melt and alter'

Published as a 'shilling shocker', Robert Louis Stevenson's dark psychological fantasy gave birth to the idea of the split personality. The story of respectable Dr Jekyll's strange association with 'damnable young man' Edward hyde; the hunt through fog-bound London for a killer; and the final revelation of Hyde's true identity is a chilling exploration of humanity's basest capacity for evil. The other stories in this volume also testify to Stevenson's inventiveness within the Gothic tradition: 'Olalla', a tale of vampirism and tainted family blood, and 'The Body Snatcher', a gruesome fictionalization of the exploits of the notorious Burke and Hare.

This edition contains a critical introduction by Robert Mighall, which discusses class, criminality and the significance of the story's London setting. It also includes an essay on the scientific contexts of the novel and the development of the idea of the Jekyll-and-Hyde personality.]]> 224 Robert Louis Stevenson 0141439734 Elizabeth 2 3.92 1886
author: Robert Louis Stevenson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1886
rating: 2
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]]> 5326
Introduction and Afterword by Joe Wheeler
To bitter, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, Christmas is just another day. But all that changes when the ghost of his long-dead business partner appears, warning Scrooge to change his ways before it's too late.

Part of the Focus on the Family Great Stories collection, this abridged edition features an in-depth introduction and discussion questions by Joe Wheeler to provide greater understanding for today's reader. "A Christmas Carol" captures the heart of the holidays like no other novel.]]> 184 Charles Dickens 1561797464 Elizabeth 1 4.06 1843
author: Charles Dickens
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1843
rating: 1
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]]> 7419545 494 Colin Wilson 1854871188 Elizabeth 4 3.62 1991
author: Colin Wilson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.62
book published: 1991
rating: 4
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]]> 1414244 95 Jill Tomlinson 074970795X Elizabeth 3 4.23 1968
author: Jill Tomlinson
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1968
rating: 3
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date added: 2022/01/05
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]]> 6265292 352 Caro King 1847248381 Elizabeth 4 3.90 2009
author: Caro King
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2009
rating: 4
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date added: 2022/01/05
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]]> 7327318
From selecting the most dastardly name, to choosing the ideal henchmen, to engaging in witty repartee with disgustingly chipper superheroes, experienced supervillain Vordak the Incomprehensible guides readers step-by-step toward the ultimate goal of world domination (from his parents' basement in Trenton, New Jersey).Ěý

With chapter titles like "Bringing Out the Evil" and "Building a Top-Notch Evil Organization," numerous bold illustrations, and detailed quizzes to assess your level of dastardliness, this book provides everything necessary to rise above the masses, and then rub your ascent in their faces.

In return for this wealth of knowledge, Vordak requests nothing more than an honored place in the evil regime of he who achieves control of the world. (And, of course, the opportunity to assume command, should things not work out.)]]> 208 Vordak T. Incomprehensible 1606840134 Elizabeth 3 3.87 2010
author: Vordak T. Incomprehensible
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2010
rating: 3
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]]> 18135 Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare creates a violent world, in which two young people fall in love. It is not simply that their families disapprove; the Montagues and the Capulets are engaged in a blood feud.

In this death-filled setting, the movement from love at first sight to the lovers� final union in death seems almost inevitable. And yet, this play set in an extraordinary world has become the quintessential story of young love. In part because of its exquisite language, it is easy to respond as if it were about all young lovers.]]> 281 William Shakespeare 0743477111 Elizabeth 2 3.74 1597
author: William Shakespeare
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 3.74
book published: 1597
rating: 2
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]]> 29492789 250 Peter Brown Elizabeth 5 4.50
author: Peter Brown
name: Elizabeth
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 5
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