Atonement ian mcewan book7/7/2023 ![]() ![]() From his awakening in the early morning hours through the end of this long and trying Saturday, Henry's life is laid bare-every action, thought, and question about life, fate, and destiny is articulated as Henry struggles to make sense of his good life and, more importantly, to see it in a philosophical context. ![]() In intensely realized descriptions, Henry's reaction to this event, along with the more mundane events of his daily life, come vividly alive, drawing in the reader who shares the most intimate aspects of Henry's existence. ![]() Looking out the window, he sees what he thinks, at first, is the Hale-Bopp meteor, but the object brightens, moves faster, and comes streaking through the skies at low altitude-not a meteor, but a plane on fire, apparently crashing on its approach to Heathrow. ![]() In the middle of the night, Henry Perowne, a 48-year-old neurosurgeon awakens for no apparent reason. "It troubles him to consider the powerful currents and fine-tuning that alter fates, the close and distant influences, the accidents of character and circumstance that cause one young woman in Paris to be packing her weekend bag with the bound proof of her first volume of poems before catching the train to a welcoming home in London, and another young woman of the same age to be led away by a wheedling boy to a moment's chemical bliss that will bind her as tightly to her misery as an opiate to its mu receptors." ( Jump down to read a review of Atonement) ![]()
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Dragons dawn anne mccaffrey7/6/2023 ![]() ![]() …and here we are, thousands of years earlier (but ten years later in terms of publication), as spaceships arrive at the planet of Pern to begin colonisation… not knowing, as the readers of the series know, that the planet is periodically bombarded by a voracious space-fungus that consumes all organic matter to fuel its insatiable growth. But at the end of the trilogies, people started discovering some strange, ancient artifacts… Massive, empathically-bonding, teleporting, time-travelling dragons. They were fantasy novels set in a pseudo-mediaeval world of trade guilds and feudalism… and dragons. The Pern cycle started off as Hugo- and Nebula-winning short stories, which grew into two trilogies of novels in the 1970s, and then a number of connected novels beyond them. And reading it again, I can absolutely see why. ![]() Pern was never one of my core reading worlds as a boy – it was clearly far too girly – but later on I did get into it and made my way through almost all the books. ![]() ![]() Constant war, improper use of natural resources and misappropriation of revenues and aid monies contribute to an impression of a continent beyond hope. Ever since the process of de-colonialisation began in the mid-1950s, and arguably before, the continent has appeared to be stuck in a process of irreversible decline. Elegantly written as well as unerringly accurate' Financial TimesĪfrica is forever on our TV screens, but the bad-news stories (famine, genocide, corruption) massively outweigh the good (South Africa). ![]() 'As a narrative of Africa's political trajectory since independence, this book is hard to beat. 'You cannot even begin to understand contemporary African politics if you have not read this fascinating book' Bob GeldofĪfrica is forever on our TV screens, but the bad-news stories (famine, genocide, corruption) massiv. 'Meredith has given a spectacularly clear view of the African political jungle' Spectator ![]() Elegantly written as well as unerringly accurate' Financial Times ![]() A christmas promise by mary balogh7/6/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() She knows that she must honor her dear father’s dying wish for her to wed the proud earl, but she dreads a lifetime in a union without love-and how can Falloden claim to love her when he married her only for her fortune? As Christmas descends upon the Falloden manor, the warmth of the season may yet melt away the trappings of duty and wealth, leaving behind only a man and a woman destined for each other’s arms.īONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Mary Balogh's The Escape. Ellie brings to the marriage a vast dowry, while Falloden, though distant, is handsome, tremendously desirable, and possessed of a title most young ladies can only dream of sharing. Weddings are supposed to be joyous occasions-especially when a couple seems as well matched as Randolph Pierce, Earl of Falloden, and his bride-to-be, Eleanor Transome. A Christmas Promise by Mary Balogh: 9780440246343 : Books A love that cannot be bought or sold proves to be the greatest gift of all, in this heartwarming classic that demonstrates once again why New York Times. ![]() A love that cannot be bought or sold proves to be the greatest gift of all, in this heartwarming classic that demonstrates once again why New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh is among the most celebrated authors of historical romance. By: Mary Balogh Synopsis A love that cannot be bought or sold proves to be the greatest gift of all, in this heartwarming classic that demonstrates once again why New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh is among the most celebrated authors of historical romance. ![]() A court of thorns and ruin7/6/2023 ![]() In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Amidst these struggles, Feyre and Rhysand must decide whom to trust amongst the cunning and lethal High Lords, and hunt for allies in unexpected places. One slip could bring doom not only for Feyre, but for everything-and everyone-she holds dear.Īs war bears down upon them all, Feyre endeavors to take her place amongst the High Fae of the land, balancing her struggle to master her powers-both magical and political-and her love for her court and family. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit. ![]() Maas.įeyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's actions and learn what she can about the invading king threatening to bring her land to its knees. The epic third novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. ![]() Waub rice7/5/2023 ![]() “Because our usual book club,” said Rice, “you set a date, everybody reads the book, and you get together and share.” You're not confined to these rigid formats anymore.”Īnd it is the loosening of this rigid format that makes the podcast what the two creators intended, a book club, of sorts. “I'd have to tell myself again, dude, you can relax a little bit,” said Rice, “You can allow certain things to happen. The first episode of the podcast, Storykeepers was spent having to remind himself to let go. “I sort of found myself reverting to having been a host, I was like, “Oh, I have to steer the conversation’.” “Coming from the broadcast journalism world where everything is scripted and everything is planned down to the minute, it's been kind of funny, breaking that mold myself,” said Rice. Though author, journalist and broadcaster Waubgeshig Rice moved on from his career with CBC to focus on his literary career, given his last role with them as host of CBC Radio Sudbury’s UpNorth, it seems natural he would continue talking on air – in one form or another. ![]() Pig Bride, Vol. 01 by Kook Hwa Huh7/5/2023 ![]() that is until his 16th birthday, when the girl in the pig mask shows up in his dorm and wants to consummate their marriage! Si-Joon returns home thinking he can get a away from this nightmare only to find that Mu-Yeon has been reluctantly welcomed into his home - as his wife! Si-Joon's not too keen on getting married, but famished as he was, he agreed to marry her in exchange for the wedding feast! Eight years later, Si-Joon has dismissed this encounter as a dream. ![]() When a strange girl in a pig mask appears before him, he followed her to an old-fashioned house where he was told that he must marry the pig-faced girl to atone for the sins of their ancestors. He feared he never make it out alive and became extremely hungry. ![]() Rich pretty boy Si-Joon got lost in the woods when he was eight years old. Pig Bride (정체불명 새색시) is a 2007-2008 Korean Sunjeong (romance) manhwa written and illustrated by Kook-Hwa Huh and Su-Jin Kim. ![]() A curse so dark and lonely goodreads7/5/2023 ![]() ![]() How eerie and shiny and dark and awesome is the cover?! It an eye grabber for sure, and evokes a sense of the darkness within its pages. Beauty and the Beast is my absolute favourite, so when I saw this book, I knew I had to have it! I love fairytale retellings, and recently I read As Old As Time (See review here). Powerful forced are standing against Emberfall…and it will take more than a broken curse to save it from utter ruin. When she is sucked into Rhen’s world, nothing is as it seems. Harper’s life has never been easy, but she’s learned to be tough enough to survive the streets of Washington DC. ![]() Forced to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he can only be freed if a girl truly falls for him, and after so many failures his kingdom and its people are barely holding on. Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall, is cursed. Title: A Curse So Dark and Lonely Author: Brigid Kemmerer Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Material Source: Paperback (bought) My rating: 4.5/5 About the book: ![]() The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman7/5/2023 ![]() ![]() And all the while, war rages with the Kingdom of Heaven, a brutal battle that-in its shocking outcome-will uncover the secret of Dust. ![]() Malone's amber spyglass, and the names of who will live-and who will die-for love. So, too, come startling revelations: the painful price Lyra must pay to walk through the land of the dead, the haunting power of Dr. Mary Malone, and Iorek Byrnison the armored bear, come a host of new characters: the Mulefa, mysterious wheeled creatures with the power to see Dust Gallivespian Lord Roke, a hand-high spymaster to Lord Asriel and Metatron, a fierce and mighty angel. The Amber Spyglass brings the intrigue of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife to a heart-stopping end, marking the final volume of His Dark Materials as the most powerful of the trilogy.Īlong with the return of Lyra, Will, Mrs. ![]() Today tonight tomorrow book 27/5/2023 ![]() ![]() "My parents aren't nearly as religious as their parents were," he says. Would "woke" non-Muslim Americans just stop fucking praising the Muslim representation in this book? Because as a Muslim I think it's trash. ![]() Maybe love isn’t the enemy after all-and maybe allowing herself to fall is the most honest thing Quinn’s ever done. Quinn can’t deny her feelings for him are still there, especially after she learns the truth about his silence, opens up about her own fears, and begins learning the art of harp-making from an enigmatic teacher. Even as they can’t seem to have one civil conversation, Quinn’s thrown together with Tarek wedding after wedding, from performing a daring cake rescue to filling in for a missing bridesmaid and groomsman. ![]() Tarek’s always loved the grand gestures in weddings-the flashier, the better-while Quinn can’t see them as anything but fake. When he shows up at the first wedding of the summer, looking cuter than ever after a year apart, they clash immediately. Quinn has been dreading seeing him again almost as much as she dreads another summer playing the harp for her parents’ weddings. At the end of last summer, Quinn confessed her crush on him in the form of a rambling email-and then he left for college without a response. Quinn Berkowitz and Tarek Mansour’s families have been in business together for years: Quinn’s parents are wedding planners, and Tarek’s own a catering company. A wedding harpist disillusioned with love and a hopeless romantic cater-waiter flirt and fight their way through a summer of weddings. ![]() |