Search Results for: very good lives/

The artificial noise in our lives is a debris field of arbitrary and often harmful signals. Our lives are riddled with sound: heavy-footed neighbours, an ambulance screeching nearby, white noise from the television. Unsurprisingly, the noisy environment in which we live has an immense impact on our concentration, alertness, and feelings of anxiety.

To help us manage the rubble that hinders our mind and well-being, Bernie Krause whisks us through the practical steps that each one of us can take to reduce the unhealthy noise in your life and realize the healing powers of certain acoustic encounters. Along the way, we explore the difference between harmful noise and the signals that make us feel good, between noise as a stressor and soundscapes that serve to boost our emotional and physiological health and stimulate our productivity.

By following his suggestions you’ll discover what a wide variety of sound signatures represent; which ones you like, which ones you don’t, and why. Thoroughly researched and accessibly crafted, THE POWER OF TRANQUILITY IN A VERY NOISY WORLD will show you how to gain control over your sonic experiences and live a more tranquil and enduring life.

‘An uplifting love story that could not be more timely’
Eva Woods

‘Must read’
Bella

‘It hooked me from the start‘
Sue Moorcroft

‘I absolutely loved it’
Ella Dove

‘So relatable, so emotional, so good’
Tracy Bloom

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What happens after Happy Ever After?

After thirty-four years of marriage, Julie and Michael’s grand romance has . . . fizzled. More like housemates than husband and wife, Julie wonders whether it’s time to give up on their love story, once and for all.

A lockdown – just the two of them – seems like it might be the final straw.

But, when stripped of all distraction and forced to meet eyes across the dinner table every night, unexpected sparks begin to fly . . .

Can Julie and Michael ever find a way back to who they used to be?

Or could this be the start of a whole new love story?

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A joyful and uplifting romance about second chances and rediscovering love when you least expect it. The perfect feel-good read that will make you laugh, make you cry and lift your spirits.

Readers are falling in LOVE with Just the Two of Us . . .

‘Utterly brilliant . . . It made me laugh out loud and also moved me to tears, will definitely recommend this book to everyone I know‘

‘Absolutely loved this story – couldn’t put it down!‘

‘A super novel . . . Amusing in places, sad in others, this really is the novel to read now‘

‘I was completely immersed in the story from the start!‘

‘Made me smile, laugh and root for the characters . . . the perfect read for the current times’

‘A wonderful love story! Funny, moving and feel-good . . . had me laughing out loud‘

‘Feel good story in unprecedented times!’

‘Very enjoyable . . . A lovely romance plot‘

‘I was hooked from the start‘

‘Highly relatable, heartwarming and emotionally charged‘

‘A heartwarming story during a really unusual time of our lives’

‘Emotional and at times sad, there is also plenty of humour to lift you through. Definitely recommended’

‘Grace Burrowes is terrific!’ Julia Quinn, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Bridgerton series

A difficult duke, a determined lady and too many secrets . . .

Nathaniel, Duke of Rothhaven, lives in seclusion, leaving his property only to gallop his demon-black steed across the moors by moonlight. Exasperated mamas invoke his name to frighten small children, though Nathaniel is truly a decent man – maybe too decent for his own good. That’s precisely why he must turn away the beguiling woman demanding his help.

Lady Althea Wentworth has little patience for dukes, reclusive or otherwise, but she needs Rothhaven’s backing to gain entrance into Polite Society. She’s asked him nicely, she’s called on him politely, all to no avail – until her prize hogs just happen to plunder the ducal orchard. He longs for privacy. She’s vowed to never endure another ball as a wallflower. Yet as the two grow closer, it soon becomes clear they might both be pretending to be something they’re not.

Find out why readers LOVE Grace Burrowes

‘Grace Burrowes is a romance treasure’ Tessa Dare

‘Smart, sexy, and oh-so romantic’ Mary Balogh

‘Wonderfully funny, moving romance, not to be missed!’ Eloisa James

‘If you’re not reading Grace Burrowes you’re missing the very best in today’s Regency Romance!’ Elizabeth Hoyt

‘This book is the perfect dose of sweet, hilarious joy. . . We are in love’ bestselling author Christina Lauren

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If you dream something hard enough, it might just come true . . .

Maybell Parrish lives with her head in the clouds, which is the sensible choice because her fantasy life is wonderful. She runs a cosy coffee shop, surrounded by friendly colleagues and delicious baked goods, and is together with the man of her dreams – the one she’s now certain doesn’t exist. In real life, she works in a thankless job surrounded by screaming children, blocked toilets and work frenemies who pity her, whilst trying not to think too hard about her absent mother and doing her best to deal with debilitating panic attacks. So, when Maybell inherits a stately old manor from her eccentric Great Aunt Violet, it’s as though a piece of her dreams has finally come true . . .

But when she arrives at her new home, nothing is as she’d hoped. Not only is the magical manor she remembers falling apart, but Great Aunt Violet had plans. Enter Wesley Koehler, the handsome-yet-surly groundskeeper. Wesley turns out to be the co-inheritor of the property – and seems determined to avoid speaking to Maybell completely, which is just fine with Maybell. Yet, as the pair begin to tackle Violet’s long list of demands, it becomes clear that Wesley’s brooding exterior hides a shy, kind nature that has also found the real world a difficult place to be – in fact, could it be that Wesley and Maybell are better matched than even Maybell could ever have dreamed?

Perfect for fans of Helen Hoang’s The Love Quotient and Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game, TWICE SHY is laugh-out-loud funny, painfully relatable, and bitingly smart.

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Praise for You Deserve Each Other:

‘Sarah Hogle is a master of comedic dialogue and sexual tension’ Kristin Rockaway

‘Anyone who has ever been in a relationship will recognize a part of themselves in this book’ Lyssa Kay Adams

‘An honest depiction of how dishonesty in a relationship can be its undoing. You Deserve Each Other is a sharp and witty look at how relationships take work to succeed, and how being true to yourself and each other is at the very core of a romantic connection’ Samantha Young

‘You Deserve Each Other is one of my favorite books of the year’ Jennifer L. Armentrout

‘Laugh-out-loud funny and a love story with incredible heart. I absolutely loved You Deserve Each Other‘ Katie McGarry

‘A snarky heroine, wickedly funny banter and a cast of quirky characters make this a laugh-out-loud read’ Maisey Yates, New York Times-bestselling author of Secrets from a Happy Marriage

‘[A] hilarious debut romance…[that] rewards readers with laugh-out-loud moments and a satisfyingly sweet and redeeming ending’ Booklist

From the award-winning author of The Apothecary’s Daughter comes the next book in the Spindrift Trilogy – a beautifully evocative, family drama, perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Elizabeth Jane Howard’s Cazalet Chronicles.

1914 Spindrift House, Cornwall

Edith Fairchild’s good-for-nothing husband, Benedict, deserted her when their children were babies. Now the children are almost adult, Edith and Pascal, her faithful lover of two decades, are planning to leave their beloved Spindrift artists’ community and finally be together.

But an explosive encounter between Benedict and Pascal forces old secrets into the light, causing rifts in the happiness and security of the community. Then an assassin’s bullet fired in faraway Sarajevo sets in motion a chain of events that changes everything.

Under the shadow of war, the community struggles to eke out a living. The younger generation enlist or volunteer to support the war effort, facing dangers that seemed unimaginable in the golden summer of 1914.

When it’s all over, will the Spindrift community survive an unexpected threat? And will Edith and Pascal ever be able to fulfil their dream?

Why do readers love Charlotte Betts?

‘Romantic, engaging and hugely satisfying’ Katie Fforde

‘A highly-recommended novel of love, tragedy and the power of art’ Daily Mail

‘Beautifully written, engaging and heart-warming’ Book Club Mumma

‘A highly compelling, engrossing read’ Discovering Diamonds

‘Evocative, enthralling and enjoyable’ Bookish Jottings

‘Poignant, compelling and extensively researched . . . I cannot wait to find out what happens next to these characters’ Sarah’s Vignettes

‘A delightful historical saga which is so beautifully woven together that from the very start I was enchanted’ Jaffa Reads Too

‘Rich in detail, full of passion this is a delightful and fascinating read’ Book Literati

‘Luminous’ SEBASTIAN BARRY

‘Incandescent characters and mellifluous prose’ LISA CAREY

‘Reminiscent of Edith Wharton at her very best’ LIZ NUGENT
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The true story of a woman ahead of her time . . .

In 1887, Isabel Bilton is the eldest of three daughters of a middle-class military family, growing up in a small garrison town. By 1891 she is the Countess of Clancarty, dubbed “the peasant countess” by the press, and a member of the Irish aristocracy. Becoming Belle is the story of the four years in between, of Belle’s rapid ascent and the people that tried to tear her down.

Reimagined by a novelist at the height of her powers, Belle is an unforgettable woman. Set against an absorbing portrait of Victorian London, hers is a timeless rags-to-riches story a la Becky Sharpe.
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Praise for BECOMING BELLE

‘Nuala O’Connor has the thrilling ability to step back nimbly and enter the deep dance of time. This is a hidden history laid luminously before us of an exultant Anglo-Irish woman navigating the dark shoals and the bright fields of a life’ SEBASTIAN BARRY, award-winning author of The Secret Scripture and Days Without End

‘Becoming Belle is so mesmerizing you will be distraught when it ends.O’Connor has resurrected a fiery, inexorable woman who rewrites the script on a stage supposedly ruled by men. Sensual, witty, daring, and unapologetically forward.‘ Lisa Carey, author of The Stolen Child

‘Belle’s determination to live her life on her own terms and in defiance of her times makes her a fascinating subject‘ Irish Central

‘Masterful storytelling! I was putty in Nuala O’Connor’s hands. She made the unsinkable Belle Bilton and her down-to-earth sister Flo real to me, and brought 1880’s London to my living room. Encore! Encore!’ Lynn Cullen, bestselling author of Mrs. Poe

‘A glorious novel in which Belle Bilton and 19th century London are brought roaring to life with exquisite period detail’ Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of A Memory of Violets

‘Thoroughly engrossing and entertaining read’ Liz Nugent

‘Thrillingly dramatic and achingly moving and profoundly resonant into this present era’ Robert Olen Butler, author of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain

‘O’Connor gently unfolds Belle’s tale in a manner that is compelling and disarming. The ambience may be Victorian elegance but the sheer honesty of O’Connor’s writing is sensual, authentic and earthy. A delight!’ Rose Servitova, author of The Longbourn Letters

‘To die for’ SUZANNE BROCKMANN

‘Frighteningly addictive’ PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

‘Delicious, erotic, and thrilling’ NICOLE JORDAN
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As a trainee in the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s program, Boone has triumphed as a soldier and now fights side by side with the Brothers. Following his sire’s unexpected death, he is taken off rotation against his protests-and he finds himself working with Butch O’Neal, former homicide cop, to catch a serial killer: Someone is targeting females of the species at a live action role play club. When the Brotherhood is called in to help, Boone insists on being a part of the effort-and the last thing he expects is to meet an enticing, mysterious female . . . who changes his life forever.

Ever since her sister was murdered at the club, Helaine has been committed to finding the killer, no matter the danger she faces. When she crosses paths with Boone, she doesn’t know whether to trust him or not-and then she has no choice. As she herself becomes a target, and someone close to the Brotherhood is identified as the prime suspect, the two must work to together to solve the mystery…before it’s too late. Will a madman come between the lovers or will true love and goodness triumph over a very mortal evil?
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Find out why readers are OBSESSED with the Black Dagger Brotherhood…

‘Intriguing, adrenaline-pumping’ BOOKLIST

‘Insanely good! . . . Intensely romantic and straight up flipping steamy, violent and gruesome, heartbreaking and deep. Her addictive writing tells a story like none other’ Goodreads reviewer

‘I can’t get enough of these sexy, tough, intriguing vampires’ Amazon reviewer

‘Emotional by epic proportions’ Kobo reviewer

‘The Black Dagger Brotherhood is a twisting, often surprising, but always awesome read’ Amazon reviewer

‘The story had me captivated the whole way‘ Kobo reviewer

‘Each and every character is compelling’ Amazon reviewer

‘A must read’ Goodreads reviewer

Cold. Ruthless. Deadly. The myth of Lady Macbeth looms large. But behind the villainous portrait stands a real woman. This is her story . . .

Scotland, 1020 AD. King Malcolm II lies on his deathbed, and the most powerful families make a violent claim for the Scottish throne . . .

On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, a flushed and nervous Cora MacDuff waits to marry her sweetheart, Macbeth. But her dreams are stolen from her, and the night she was hoping for turns into a brutal slaughter.
In order to reclaim the life she was promised, Cora must learn to use every weapon at her disposal – even those she loves . . .

The beginning of a brand new Historical fiction series by the bestselling author of the Queens of Conquest series, her new trilogy unearths the real women behind Shakespeare’s most infamous queens . . . If you love Elizabeth Chadwick and Anne O’Brien you will adore Joanna Courtney

What readers are saying about Joanna Courtney:

‘I was hooked from the very first page and didn’t want to put it down. Joanna Courtney is a new talent in the world of historical fiction and one that I would highly recommend. I look forward to reading more by this fantastic author’ Bookbabblers

‘A strong sense of atmosphere and place and time. I really got into the story, in fact I was so gripped by it at one point that I missed my bus. It was a really good, exciting, read. I cannot wait to read the next two books.’ Michelle Birkby, author of The House at Baker Street

‘Amazing’ (Miranda Dickinson)

‘Courtney’s novel breathes new life into this complex character,…A thrilling introduction to Courtney’s new trilogy on Shakespearean queens.’ – The Lady

‘A glorious, rich, epic story of love, friendship and sacrifice which will sweep you up and transport you to another time. I absolutely loved this and can’t wait for the next book in the series’ (Rachael Lucas, author of Sealed With A Kiss and Coming Up Roses)

‘An absorbing and emotional debut novel’ (Candis magazine)

‘A thrilling and atmospheric read with strong female characters’ (MyWeekly)

‘A beautifully written multi layered tale with a tremendously authentic sense of place and time . . . an epic feel . . . highly recommended’ (LizLovesBooks)

‘The story reaches a heart-rending climax. A must read. I loved it’ (Freda Lightfoot, author of The Amber Keeper)

‘With lovely writing and a terrific sense of narrative drive, Joanna Courtney portrays an era of change through a story about a long forgotten Queen. In The Chosen Queen, Edyth is a heroine who inhabits a convincingly re-created historical world, peopled with personalities whose lives leap from the page. Superb! (Carol McGrath, author of The Daughters of Hastings trilogy)

An outstanding opening to this new series set to rival historical fiction heavyweights like Philippa Gregory and Susanna Dunn (Lisareadsbooks)

When Steve is killed during enemy action, Beth is devastated. They were due to elope to Gretna Green the following week, and their happiness was complete with the news of Beth’s pregnancy. But now, alone and unmarried and with a baby on the way, Beth must survive by herself in war-torn Glasgow.

When Beth meets handsome Canadian Gene, a friendship begins; for the first time since Steve’s death Beth finds happiness. When Gene asks her to marry him and live with him on his farm in Canada, Beth seizes the opportunity of a better life for her and her child.

But it doesn’t take Beth long to realise that Gene hasn’t told her the whole truth and that the farm doesn’t belong to just him – his sister Loretta lives there, too. And Loretta makes it very clear that Beth isn’t welcome and that she will stop at nothing to get rid of her – even if it comes to murder.

Praise for Emma Blair:

‘An engaging novel and the characters are endearing – a good holiday read’ Historical Novels Review

‘All the tragedy and passion you could hope for . . . Brilliant’ The Bookseller

‘Romantic fiction pure and simple and the best sort – direct, warm and hugely readable. Women’s fiction at an excellent level’ Publishing News

‘Emma Blair explores the complex and difficult nature of human emotions in this passionately written novel’ Edinburgh Evening News

‘Entertaining romantic fiction’ Historical Novels Review

‘[Emma Blair] is well worth recommending’ The Bookseller

‘Vivid, smart, propulsive. A thoroughly immersive thriller’ Lisa Unger

For fans of Serial and Making a Murderer comes this clever, twisty and innovative thriller by New York Times bestselling author Gilly Macmillan, author of the Richard & Judy book club pick The Nanny
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Twenty years ago, eleven-year-olds Charlie Page and Scott Ashby were murdered, their bodies dumped near a dog racing track. A man was convicted of the brutal crime but, decades later, questions still linger.

For his whole life, filmmaker Cody Swift has been haunted by the deaths of his childhood friends. Hoping to uncover new evidence, Cody starts a podcast to record his findings. But there are many people who don’t want the case reopened, especially Charlie’s mother, Jess, who decides to take matters into her own hands.

When another body is found in the same location the boys were left decades before, the disturbing discovery launches another murder investigation. Now Detective John Fletcher, the investigator on the original case, must reopen his dusty files and decide if the two murders are linked. With his career in jeopardy, the clock is ticking and lives are in jeopardy . . .
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PRAISE FOR GILLY MACMILLAN:

‘Amazing, gripping, beautifully written’ LIANE MORIARTY

‘Deserves to stay on the bestseller list’ DAILY MAIL

‘Electrifyingly good. An absolute firecracker of a thriller’ SUNDAY MIRROR

‘Deceptively clever. I found myself racing through to find out what happened’ ROSAMUND LUPTON

‘A nail-biting, sleep-depriving, brilliant read’ SASKIA SARGINSON

‘A very clever, tautly-plotted page-turner’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

‘You won’t rest until you know what happened’ LISA BALLANTYNE

Stress is very much part of life in the 21st century, and has overtaken the common cold as the major reason for taking time off work. But while we cannot avoid life’s pressures, we can influence the degree to which they affect us, and how we react. This book will show you how.

It examines why we become stressed, how the stress response is unique to each of us and why stress, particularly when combined with fatigue, can create a vicious circle that has serious implications for our long-term health. So, what’s the answer? As you’ll discover, there is no single solution; instead the authors suggest a unique blend of practical solutions that include:

* Uncovering your stress triggers and stress response
* Learning how to reframe negative beliefs
* Effective time management that includes relaxation and fun
* Becoming more resilient by tuning up your stress hormones
* Utilising the power of sleep and exercise
* Beating the sugar and stimulant trap
* Fuel-up to feel good – discover the key nutrients for energy and resilience

With a section on quick fixes to feel better now, as well as guidance on putting together a long-term action plan, The Stress Cure will empower you to take back control and live a healthier, more balanced life.

***TOP-TEN BESTSELLING AUTHOR***

From Richard & Judy bestselling author of The Twins comes a haunting and suspenseful new novel about a girl with a secret – and a past that is destined to catch up with her...

‘There are some books which are so compelling, the plots so engaging and the writing so perfectly paced and accessible that simply captivate the reader and this for me was one such book’ We Love This Book

Despite everything life has thrown at Eliza Bennet, she’s living the life she’s worked so hard to achieve. She’s who she wants to be, where she wants to be and with the man she loves.

But Eliza is living a lie. Her real name is Klaudia Myer, and Klaudia is on the run, escaping her old life and a terrible secret buried at the heart of her family.

Eliza feels as though she’s been running away her whole life. But when her father comes to her with a terrible request, she knows her double life is about to be exposed.

How much longer is it safe to carry on pretending?

This is a haunting and deeply powerful story about identity and the deep secrets that lie at the heart of every family.

Praise for Saskia Sarginson:

‘This enthralling read will keep you up long into the night’ Ruth Ware on The Other Me

‘Storytelling at its very best. A moving tale about how guilt and shame can govern lives and how only love and generosity can change that’ Cecilia Ekback on The Other Me

‘Outstandingly good. Part thriller, part love story, I guarantee you will not be able to put it down’ Sun on The Twins

‘Stunning in its insight and beautifully written’ Judy Finnigan on The Twins

‘A stunning writer with deep insight into people, their thoughts and behaviour’ NZ Women’s Weekly

‘A very good read indeed’ MATT HAIG

‘Terrific, page-turning, slyly funny’ INDIA KNIGHT

‘As satisfying a novel as I have read in years’ SARAH PERRY

‘One of the most brilliant and entertaining novelists’ ALISON LURIE

Quentin and Lottie Bredin, like many modern couples, can’t afford to divorce. Having lost their jobs in the recession, they can’t afford to go on living in London; instead, they must downsize and move their three children to a house in a remote part of Devon. Arrogant and adulterous, Quentin can’t understand why Lottie is so angry; devastated and humiliated, Lottie feels herself to have been intolerably wounded.

Mud, mice and quarrels are one thing – but why is their rent so low? What is the mystery surrounding their unappealing new home? The beauty of the landscape is ravishing, yet it conceals a dark side involving poverty, revenge, abuse and violence which will rise up to threaten them.

Sally Verity, happily married but unhappily childless knows a different side to country life, as both a Health Visitor and a sheep farmer’s wife; and when Lottie’s innocent teenage son Xan gets a zero-hours contract at a local pie factory, he sees yet another. At the end of their year, the lives of all will be changed for ever.

A suspenseful black comedy, this is a rich, compassionate and enthralling novel in its depiction of the English countryside, and the potentially lethal interplay between money and marriage.

A BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE GUARDIAN, OBSERVER, TELEGRAPH, NEW STATESMAN, EVENING STANDARD, SUNDAY TIMES AND IRISH TIMES

LONGLISTED FOR THE CRIME WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION 2024 ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION

SHORTLISTED FOR BEST NEW AUTHOR AT THE 2024 TRUE CRIME AWARDS

‘Read this powerful book by Miles Johnson right now. It will make you realise that what we call terrorism is actually drug trafficking, what we call politics is organised crime and what we call peace is just a truce between mafias.’ – Roberto Saviano, author of Gomorrah

‘McMafia for the new age’ Catherine Belton, author of Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then took on the West

‘Compelling, visceral and highly readable’ Oliver Bullough, bestselling author of Moneyland

‘As breathless, complex and on-the-edge suspenseful as the finest thriller fiction – but it’s all real, which makes it truly extraordinary’ Lee Child

‘This astonishing and cinematic rollercoaster of a debut will bring Miles Johnson’s talent into the brilliant light. Delivered with trademark verve and precision, it achieves that rare and precious thing that is the goal of all great reporting: it reveals the world to itself’ Alex Perry, author of The Good Mothers

‘Miles has used his extensive Italian contacts to get a fully-fleshed out story in the Mafia section; likewise with the Hezbollah characters. He has interviewed over 100 people for the book, including many hours with Jack Kelly, the DEA investigator and hero of the book, which gives us an intimate look at a man dedicated to catching bad guys at the expense of his personal life’ Dan McCrum, author of Money Men

A compulsive true crime thriller about modern-day international drugs trafficking, terrorism and the mafia following an investigation driven by one DEA agent, Jack Kelly.

Three very different men battle to control their destinies as they hurtle through the hall of mirrors of the global shadow economy.

Salvatore Pititto is an ambitious Mafia capo working on a vast cocaine shipment who becomes unexpectedly pulled into an arms-smuggling conspiracy.

Jack Kelly, a veteran US Drug Enforcement Administration agent, tasked with following a trail of dirty money across continents from a top-secret investigative unit based in Virginia.

Mustafa Badreddine is a ghost-like master terrorist wanted by governments across the world who has been secretly dispatched to Syria for his final mission.

Each man, born in radically different circumstances in the 1960s, is in his own way grappling with the powerful and unstoppable forces that shape the world around us; forces which topple governments, send refugees fleeing across borders, and put guns in the hands of mercenaries and militias. Each has devoted his whole life to an institution-the DEA, the Mafia and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah-and each will eventually be destroyed or betrayed by the thing they believe in the most.

Set during 2015 and 2016, as the global order began to implode under the pressures of the Syrian civil war and the European refugee crisis, CHASING SHADOWS looks back over the historical conflicts, events and personal histories that have shaped the lives of these three men. It’s a book that shows the betrayals, the disillusionment and the violence as Jack Kelly hunts down his targets.

A brilliant and addictive collection of brand-new essays on modern culture – from ‘the pre-eminent and most widely read critic of her generation’ The Times

Included as a 2024 highlight in the Observer, Stylist, the Skinny, BBC Online and the Independent

‘Funny, insightful and bang on the money’ Stylist

‘Very fun to read … exhilarating and original’ New Statesman

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I heard this crazy story, and I want you to know.

It is the age of internet gossip; of social networks, repackaged ideas and rating everything out of five stars. Mega-famous celebrities respond with fury to critics who publish less-than-rapturous reviews of their work (and then delete their tweets); CEOs talk about reclaiming ‘the power of vulnerability’; and in the world of fiction, writers eschew actually making things up in favour of ‘always just talking about themselves’.

In this blistering, irreverent and very funny first book of non-fiction, Lauren Oyler – one of the most trenchant, influential, and revelatory critics of her generation – takes on the bizarre particularities of our present moment in a series of interconnected essays about literature, the attention economy, gossip, the role of criticism and her own relentless, teeth-grinding anxiety.

Illuminating and thought-provoking, by turns drily scathing and disarmingly open, No Judgement excavates the layers of psychology and meaning in how we communicate, tell stories and make critical judgements – to offer dazzling insights into how we live and think today.

‘Brisk, honest and soaring with élan‘ Naoise Dolan, author of The Happy Couple

‘Smart and unafraid and (thank God) funny. This is exactly what I want to read’ Monica Heisey, author of Really Good, Actually

‘Oyler is the kind of dangerous contemporary writer we need more of’ Niamh Campbell, author of We Were Young

‘Life and love are very precious when both are in full bloom’

With four lively, attractive women in one house and a dashing young bachelor in the neighbouring one, romance can only be a matter of time. As Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy become young women, they take separate paths in life, following their dreams, finding love, becoming wives and travelling the world. But the tie that binds the sisters brings them together when tragedy strikes, for only with each other can they find the comfort they need.

Also in Virago Classic Children’s Books: Little Women, Little Men, Jo’s Boys

Shortlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction
‘Extraordinarily affecting’ Alex Preston, Observer

‘This is a novel whose engine is flesh and blood, not cold ideas . . . Grant brings the 1950s – that odd, downbeat, fertile decade between war and sexual liberation – into sharp, bright, heartbreaking focus’ – Christobel Kent Guardian


All over Britain life is beginning again now the war is over but for Lenny and Miriam, East End London teenage twins who have been living on the edge of the law, life is suspended – they’ve contacted tuberculosis. It’s away to the sanatorium – newly opened by the NHS – in deepest Kent for them where they will meet a very different world: among other patients, an aristocract, a young university grad, a mysterious German woman and an American merchant seaman with big ideas about love and rebellion. They are not the only ones whose lives will be changed forever.


‘Grant is so good at conjuring up atmosphere and writes with earthy vivacity’- Anthony Gardner Mail on Sunday


‘Read this fine, persuasive, moving novel and contemplate’ John Sutherland, The Times

‘I loved it . . . There’s nothing out there like All The Lonely People – it’s uniquely brilliant, bold and not afraid to shout about what’s wrong with the world, while still showing how subtle changes and hope can save lives. Original, shocking, eye-opening and thoroughly enjoyable’ Simon P Clark, author of Eren

Everyone tells Kat that her online personality – confident, funny, opinionated – isn’t her true self. Kat knows otherwise. The internet is her only way to cope with a bad day, chat with friends who get all her references, make someone laugh. But when she becomes the target of an alt-right trolling campaign, she feels she has no option but to Escape, Delete, Disappear.

With her social media shut down, her website erased, her entire online identity void, Kat feels she has cut away her very core: without her virtual self, who is she?

She brought it on herself. Or so Wesley keeps telling himself as he dismantles Kat’s world. It’s different, seeing one of his victims in real life and not inside a computer screen – but he’s in too far to back out now.

As soon as Kat disappears from the online world, her physical body begins to fade and while everybody else forgets that she exists, Wesley realises he is the only one left who remembers her. Overcome by remorse for what he has done, Wesley resolves to stop her disappearing completely. It might just be the only way to save himself.

All the Lonely People is a timely story about online culture – both good and bad – that explores the experience of loneliness in a connected world, and the power of kindness and empathy over hatred.

One cover. 360 different colours. Which one will you get?

‘A powerful and disturbing new take on an original classic’ Tim Bowler, author of Carnegie Medal-winner River Boy

‘I loved this book . . . Pacy, gripping, intriguing [and] poignant’ Alice Oseman, author of Solitaire and Radio Silence


Young people on the Midwich Estate don’t have much hope for their futures. Keisha has lived there her whole life, and has been working hard to escape it; others have just accepted their lot.

But change is coming . . .

One night, everyone inside Midwich Tower falls mysteriously unconscious in one inexplicable ‘Nightout’. No one can explain what happened during those lost hours, but soon afterwards Keisha and three other girls find they’re pregnant – and the babies are growing at an alarming rate.

As the news spreads around the tower, its residents turns against them and the situation spirals toward violence. Keisha’s life unravels as she realises that the pregnancy may not have just ruined her hopes for the future: she might be mother to the end of the world.

The Fallen Children is a story of violation, of judgment and of young people who must fight to defy what is expected of them.

The Fallen Children has one cover design but 360 different colourways. Each one is numbered from 1 to 360 on the spine. The colour you receive will be completely random.

‘THE FALLEN CHILDREN is ATTACK THE BLOCK meets VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED and feels like the London I know. It’s very cool’ – Juno Dawson

‘An ingenious twist on a classic. Surprisingly tender and moving, completely convincing and gripping’ – Kiran Millwood Hargrave

‘Read THE FALLEN CHILDREN if you’d like less middle-class kidlit, allegorical commentary on society and teens, and dead good books’ – Non Pratt

Reach for the stars in this exciting graphic novel about three ambitious, space-loving kids who must put their differences aside to save their summer camp before it closes…for good.

Welcome to Camp Launchpad!

Summer is in full swing, which means a new class of kids has arrived to attend the best space camp in Florida…or at least, it used to be. With growing competition from the trendy rival camp next door, Camp Launchpad needs all the help it can get to keep its doors open.

Campers Val, Mark, and Pete are here for very different reasons: following in the footsteps of an astronaut mom, living up to expectations as a vice president’s son, or getting a once-in-a-lifetime scholarship. But they all have one huge thing in common: Their future in the stars launches from here…if there’s still a camp to launch from.

When the hotshot owner of the rival space camp makes a ten-million-dollar bet that could turn Camp Launchpad around, this unlikely trio must band together to pull off a miracle. If they don’t, this could be Camp Launchpad’s last summer ever!