An enchanting, magical novel set in a mysterious toyshop - perfect for fans of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, Stephanie Garber's Caraval and Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist. The Christmas Emporium opens with the first sign of frost . . . It is 1917, and while war wages across Europe, in the heart of London, there is a place of hope and enchantment. The Emporium sells toys that capture the imagination of children and adults alike: patchwork dogs that seem alive, toy boxes that are bigger on the inside, soldiers that can fight battles of their own. Into this family business comes young Cathy Wray, running away from a shameful past. The Emporium takes her in, makes her one of its own. But Cathy is about to discover that the Emporium has secrets of its own . . . Complete your collection with Paris by Starlight, the next novel from the author of the The Toymakers, out now ***** 'This vivid, haunting novel is both vast and intimate. A wonderful and thought-provoking read.' KATHERINE ARDEN, author of The Warm Hands of Ghosts Engaging and enchanting . . . A fairytale for adults, with all the wonder – and terror – that that entails.' GUARDIAN 'There is magic at the heart of The Toymakers, a glittery inventiveness that shimmers through the dark corners of a story about love, war and sibling rivalry.' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'I was gripped, and thrilled, and touched, and above all I was completely swept into the magic of the book . . . Just astonishing' ADAM ROBERTS, author of Jack Glass 'Anyone who’s ever stepped inside a traditional toyshop and marvelled at the wonders on display will instantly be captivated by this book' CULTUREFLY

From contemporary deployments of taxidermy, magic lanterns and microscopy to the visualization of forgotten lives, marginalized narratives and colonial histories, this book explores how the work of artists including Mat Collishaw, Yinka Shonibare, Tessa Farmer, Mark Dion, Dorothy Cross and Ingrid Pollard reimag(in)es the Victorians in the ‘present’. Examining how recent paintings, sculptures, photographs, installations and films revisit and re-present nineteenth-century technologies, practices and events, the book’s rich interdisciplinary approach applies literary, media and linguistic theories to its analysis of visual art, alongside in-depth discussions of the Victorian inventions, concepts and narratives that they invoke. The book’s emphasis on how – and why – we represent the historical past makes its contribution particularly timely. And by drawing attention to the importance of historiography to the work of these artists, it also unravels the complicated history of History itself. This book will speak to diverse audiences including those interested in art history, visual culture, Victorian and neo-Victorian studies, as well as literature, histories of science and media, postcolonialism, museology, gender studies, postmodernism and the history of ideas.

A guide to outdoor play, provision and learning in the Early Years and beyond.

What would you do if you had given up your whole life for someone, someone who had proclaimed their undying love for you, only to find that they had been unfaithful from the start? James, a prestigious university professor, struggles to rebuild his life and sanity after giving up his family and career for Jennifer, a young student that he falls passionately, hopelessly, frantically in love with, only to see his life in tatters after she betrays him, helplessly caught in her own web of deceit and despair. After years of struggle he embarks on a new career and rebuilds his life only to find that he cannot leave the past behind and must return and rescue the one who destroyed him. Moustafa El-Guindy tells a story of a passionate man who founders on the shoals of love betrayed, but finds hope and redemption BEYOND LOVE. BEYOND LOVE is a tale of love, betrayal, anguish and redemption, the story of two people whose love dies in a storm of lies, deceit and despair, leaving them both shattered and hopelessly alone. James story discloses that one step beyond love can encompass love, life, and everything in between. Moreover, sometimes life demands from lovers more than just love. James faces the challenge of destiny and has to prove that his feeling goes far away beyond love.

Between love and temptation, who is worth it? Between the good and the bad girl who can make it? Yes, we are use in seeing good girls falling in love with bad boys. Leaving their life full of colors and dreams for a toxic one full of darkness and sorrow. But what about the bitches? Do you think they are like that for no good reason? Do you think they do not deserve love too? Do you think they can’t handle or even be the cause of a toxic relationship? Do you think they can’t change and also find for their bad boy? Brooke Wild is a Canadian girl of 17 years old, with a bad reputation which some say is good and other bad. Beside her, there is that perfect sister with whom she can’t stay in one home with. Wendy Wild, 15 years old younger sister to Brooke, the genuine and favorite to their mother. Very different from her sister. The entrance of Wayatt Cruz, the young and handsome Latin American boy of 19 years old, shakes everything up for the two sisters. Not that bad nor that good boy any girl would want to have, his simplicity and at the same time bipolar attitude will attract the girls. Immerse yourself in this thrilling romance! ABOUT THE AUTHOR My name is Nkwesi Leana Kerena, I am 20 years old this year, of Cameroonian origin, I am a student in the second year of logistics and transport. I've been writing since I was 12 and I've always been passionate about romance even if I don't really embody it. I wrote several works before Beyond temptation, but I consider this work as the very first. Because it marks the beginning of my adventures as a writer. I hope to make a difference and mark hearts with this work.

Meet Jake, who emigrated from London to do his college degree in America. Now hes a successful architect who seemingly has everything: a big house, a nice car, and plenty of money. Theres just one thing missing: hes lonely as hell and has no one to love. Enter Catherine, the most unlikely girlfriend he couldve imagined. There are lots of reasons why Jake shouldnt choose her: a psycho mother, an over-protective cousinoh yeah, and she just so happens to be underage. But Jake has never met anyone quite like Catherine before, so what can he do when his heart overrides his brain, but fall hopelessly in love with the girl? But love, Jake finds, comes at a price, and hes not so sure hes ready to pay it.

From an author of the best-selling women’s health classic Our Bodies, Ourselves comes a bracingly forthright memoir about a life-long friendship across racial and class divides. A white woman’s necessary learning, and a Black woman’s complex evolution, make These Walls Between Us a “tender, honest, cringeworthy and powerful read.” (Debby Irving, author, Waking Up White.) In the mid-1950s, a fifteen-year-old African American teenager named Mary White (now Mary Norman) traveled north from Virginia to work for twelve-year-old Wendy Sanford’s family as a live-in domestic for their summer vacation by a remote New England beach. Over the years, Wendy's family came to depend on Mary’s skilled service—and each summer, Mary endured the extreme loneliness of their elite white beachside retreat in order to support her family. As the Black “help” and the privileged white daughter, Mary and Wendy were not slated for friendship. But years later—each divorced, each a single parent, Mary now a rising officer in corrections and Wendy a feminist health activist—they began to walk the beach together after dark, talking about their children and their work, and a friendship began to grow. Based on decades’ worth of visits, phone calls, letters, and texts between Mary and Wendy, These Walls Between Us chronicles the two women’s friendship, with a focus on what Wendy characterizes as her “oft-stumbling efforts, as a white woman, to see Mary more fully and to become a more dependable friend.” The book examines obstacles created by Wendy’s upbringing in a narrow, white, upper-class world; reveals realities of domestic service rarely acknowledged by white employers; and draws on classic works by the African American writers whose work informed and challenged Wendy along the way. Though Wendy is the work’s primary author, Mary read and commented on every draft—and together, the two friends hope their story will incite and support white readers to become more informed and accountable friends across the racial divides created by white supremacy and to become active in the ongoing movement for racial justice.

'A rattling good read' - Amazon review ON THE STREET, SURVIVAL COMES AT A PRICE . . . Daisy Lane has finally found some measure of happiness - her nightclub is bringing in money, helped by her connections to notorious gangster Roy Kemp, and her children seem to be thriving. But Daisy's fortunes take a spectacular fall when Roy decides to move his criminal empire to London. Roy's frequent presence in Daisy's club gave the place an air of glamour - and danger. Without him, the punters have disappeared and so too has the cash, leaving Daisy back where she started - struggling to make ends meet and keep her family together. Daisy takes comfort in the fact that her son, Eddie, is growing up to be as courageous and spirited as his late father was. But Eddie's younger brother, Jamie, could not be more different: deeply disturbed, sadistic and capable of the most brutal violence. Daisy, fighting to save her business, is completely blind to what her son is becoming. It falls to Eddie to stand up to his brother and prevent his behaviour from spiralling fatally out of control . . . If you like crime thrillers by Jessie Keane, Kimberley Chambers, Mandasue Heller and Martina Cole, you'll love Jail Bait, the gripping fifth novel in the Daisy Lane thriller series. Why readers love June Hampson's thrillers: 'A cracking story' - THE BOOKSELLER 'She is giving Martina Cole a run for her money' Amazon review 'The Daisy Lane books are all brilliant' - Amazon reviewer 'An emotional rollercoaster full of grit, violence, sadness, warmth, emotion and love' - Goodreads reviewer

Secrets threaten to tear a marriage apart in this compelling British mystery from the author of The Cornish Retribution. When the opportunity arises, Dr. Tristan Ainsworth jumps at the chance to move back to the idyllic Cornish village where he grew up. He hopes the change of scenery will lift his agoraphobic wife, Karen, out of the dark moods that have kept her withdrawn. Karen Ainsworth’s past has always hung over her like a dark cloud. A chance to use her extraordinary singing voice may set her free. But when she attempts to emerge from her shell, her worst fears come to fruition. Now, as a tide of blackmail and betrayal threatens to break the foundations of their marriage, Karen and Tristan must decide if their relationship is strong enough to withstand a truth that may cost them everything . . . “James’ thriller is bound to quicken one’s pulse, and readers will experience shivers down their spines as they’re drawn into the story at a rapid pace. The author has a special ability to keep fans of suspense glued to their seat for the duration of this novel—which is mysterious and romantic, too.” —RT Book Reviews “Although this is [a long] book you’ll find the pacing fast because of its page turning quality and your need to find out what Karen’s fate will be.” —Long and Short Reviews