Recommended Reads
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Just Smile
I play a game when I’m feeling down,
It helps me turn my frown around.
Step by step, follow me,
You, too, can smile like a chimpanzee!This book gives children scientific strategies to help regulate emotional distress using physical actions.
Big, slow breaths activate a nerve in the brain that helps calm the body. The deep pressure of a squeeze or a cuddle will help you to relax. And a forced smile can trick your brain into thinking that you are happy.
£8.99 -
Glimmershade
Spite at last is named: the Necromancer is its leader and he is seeking a return to the World that banished him. Earth’s Blood, once thought to be the Dwarves, is now revealed in the One Tree; it is everyone’s and everything’s. And this is what the Necromancer needs to return as within it is the power of hope and despair, a prophecy which seems to suggest his mastery of the past, the present and the future.Caliphe and Taithe are sucked deeper and deeper into his designs as they travel within the mountains and the great forest of Glimmershade. Terrible truths are revealed to both as they battle Dark Witches, rogue Giants, Neffelin, ancient forestalls, and venture into the hidden fortresses of Raven’s Loft and Gul-a-Dor.The Effelin, Caliphe’s race, are ruined by their past, and this is what they must first undo in overcoming the Necromancer. The past is his. But can they save the present and the future from him? This is the fight they face and to do that they must not only understand their pasts, but also come to terms with their futures which seem increasingly bleak. Can they hold onto the love they have for each other, in the face of mounting criticism from foes and allies alike?
£16.99 -
Little Stories
Step into a world where the surreal and the unexpected collide in this collection of twelve captivating short stories. Each tale invites you to explore strange and wondrous realms: a little girl embarks on a quest for friendship, while a Halloween pumpkin delivers an astonishing surprise. You’ll encounter a book so enthralling that it literally pulls readers into its pages. As you delve deeper into this collection, you’ll uncover the hidden mysteries beneath our basements, discover the secrets of escape, and confront your most terrifying nightmares. Journey through the curious origins of oranges, learn the perils of midnight flights, and unravel the intricacies of crafting the perfect story. The final trio of stories takes a different turn, offering a glimpse into the truth about humanity and revealing how coincidences can shape our world – for better or for worse.
£6.99 -
The Angry Butcher of Berwick
The Angry Butcher of Berwick is infamous throughout the town, and everyone knows he’s angry.
For years, the Butcher has served the people of Berwick. He knows your mum, dad, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, grandma, grandad, and even your dog, and they all know he’s grumpy.
He cannot walk through the town without being recognized, and everyone knows he’s miserable. Once, the Butcher loved to laugh, joke, and have fun with his friends, but those days are long gone, and they all know it.
What happened to the Butcher? Why is he so angry?
Can anyone help him find happiness again?
£7.99 -
The Silver Necklace
“A fascinating glimpse into complex characters on both right and wrong sides of the law, by author and retired judge Jack Billings, who undoubtedly has seen both up-close.”
Randi Bjornstad, career journalist, founder, Eugene Scene, e-magazine
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Police always encounter people they never forget. For Megan O’Brian, one was Chad Mitchell, a scared, mistreated little boy she encountered while working as a juvenile corrections officer. She always wondered what happened to him. Then they met again.
By then a sheriff’s detective, O’Brian was lead investigator for the disappearance of talented Cassie Edwards, who failed to return home from her regular bus trip to and from a piano lesson after her 15th birthday party. She wore as always her favorite gift, a beautiful and unusual necklace, given to her by her grandmother.
The trail goes frustratingly cold as O’Brian and fellow investigators, Cal Underwood and Herman Jackson, search in vain for clues to her whereabouts and her fate, until a deer poacher finds Cassie’s body in a remote area.
But finding her killer eludes them, until O’Brian has a sudden, middle-of-the-night realization: a photograph Jackson had taken of recovered stolen property in another case. One of those photos shows an unusual necklace, identical to the one Cassie wore in a picture from her birthday party.
Did Cassie’s killer take the necklace as a trophy? How did it get into a trove of stolen property? Did the killer try to get rid of it? Or was it stolen from the killer? And who were they looking for?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Well-developed characters, engaging story, professional police work. A good read.”
Kurt Wuest, Lane County Sheriff’s Detective (ret.)
“Untreated autism, methamphetamine addiction, interstate fencing of stolen property propel this story of murder and apprehension to a conclusion.”
Chuck Tilby, Captain, Eugene Police Department (ret.)
“Billings’ writing evokes Michael Connelly. A bus system’s operation is cleverly woven into the plot.”
Mark Pangborn, General Manager, Lane Transit District (ret.)
£10.99 -
The Silver Necklace
“A fascinating glimpse into complex characters on both right and wrong sides of the law, by author and retired judge Jack Billings, who undoubtedly has seen both up-close.”
Randi Bjornstad, career journalist, founder, Eugene Scene, e-magazine
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Police always encounter people they never forget. For Megan O’Brian, one was Chad Mitchell, a scared, mistreated little boy she encountered while working as a juvenile corrections officer. She always wondered what happened to him. Then they met again.
By then a sheriff’s detective, O’Brian was lead investigator for the disappearance of talented Cassie Edwards, who failed to return home from her regular bus trip to and from a piano lesson after her 15th birthday party. She wore as always her favorite gift, a beautiful and unusual necklace, given to her by her grandmother.
The trail goes frustratingly cold as O’Brian and fellow investigators, Cal Underwood and Herman Jackson, search in vain for clues to her whereabouts and her fate, until a deer poacher finds Cassie’s body in a remote area.
But finding her killer eludes them, until O’Brian has a sudden, middle-of-the-night realization: a photograph Jackson had taken of recovered stolen property in another case. One of those photos shows an unusual necklace, identical to the one Cassie wore in a picture from her birthday party.
Did Cassie’s killer take the necklace as a trophy? How did it get into a trove of stolen property? Did the killer try to get rid of it? Or was it stolen from the killer? And who were they looking for?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Well-developed characters, engaging story, professional police work. A good read.”
Kurt Wuest, Lane County Sheriff’s Detective (ret.)
“Untreated autism, methamphetamine addiction, interstate fencing of stolen property propel this story of murder and apprehension to a conclusion.”
Chuck Tilby, Captain, Eugene Police Department (ret.)
“Billings’ writing evokes Michael Connelly. A bus system’s operation is cleverly woven into the plot.”
Mark Pangborn, General Manager, Lane Transit District (ret.)
£10.99 -
The Man with the Dog
In this story, Nikolaus encounters both his ghostly nemesis and the love of his life, Heidi. Through her unwavering love, Heidi becomes his saviour, guiding him out of life’s darkest moments. Together, they embark on an unforgettable journey, discovering the power of family and the irreplaceable bonds of friendship.
At Nikolaus’s side is Kimi, his loyal and ever-present companion, a shining beacon of hope through the shadows of time. As Nikolaus triumphs over adversity, he marries Heidi, building a life filled with love and a family of their own.
This story is a celebration of love’s enduring power and the strength found in unity during life’s greatest struggles.
£7.99 -
Rebellion
Claudius’s invasion of Britannia was achieved almost unopposed. The few pockets of credible resistance were ruthlessly crushed by the machine that was the Roman army. What followed was a tense but relatively peaceful co-existence, even some merging of cultures.
That peaceful life was shattered by greed and oppression, when the new Emperor, Nero, forces a change in hierarchy in the province. Paulinus, a brutal Governor, and Catus, the mercilessly greedy Procurator, badly misjudged the mood of the Britons. A misjudgement that led to something that had never happened before: a uniting of the Britannic tribes. Theft of inheritance, a viciously humiliating beating of Queen Boudica, and the rape of her daughters sets in motion a rebellion that grows into an unstoppable, often uncontrollable army.
Weyland, a Briton and the son of a blacksmith, who as a boy was trained by a Roman soldier to fight as a Roman, becomes an unlikely player in Boudica’s plans to draw the Governor into fulfilling his pledge to eradicate the Druids. Now, with the majority of the Roman army in the west of the country, Boudica sets about gathering together an overwhelming horde, hell-bent on revenge for years of occupation. There can be only one outcome: victory or death.
£14.99 -
The Da Calvi Legacy
Cristi Jenkins is leading a quiet life as a primary school teacher in a small village on the coast of West Wales. Stuck in this familiar backwater, she feels her life is going nowhere. Then, out of the blue, she receives a mysterious letter bearing an Italian postmark...
Cristi knows her only link to Italy is a tenuous one – the mother she never really knew, and definitely can’t remember. Yet her story is about to become inextricably linked to that of the Da Calvi family – four brothers torn apart by war, and an unbreakable bond between two young boys forged years before.
In modern day Italy, Seb Luce is the attractive Italian lawyer entrusted with Ennio Da Calvi’s affairs. The file appeals to his curiosity and determination to find answers to the questions left by an intriguing legacy…
What does all of this mean for Cristi, what decisions will she face, and is this a chance for her to find out who she really is?
£10.99 -
The Da Calvi Legacy
Cristi Jenkins is leading a quiet life as a primary school teacher in a small village on the coast of West Wales. Stuck in this familiar backwater, she feels her life is going nowhere. Then, out of the blue, she receives a mysterious letter bearing an Italian postmark...
Cristi knows her only link to Italy is a tenuous one – the mother she never really knew, and definitely can’t remember. Yet her story is about to become inextricably linked to that of the Da Calvi family – four brothers torn apart by war, and an unbreakable bond between two young boys forged years before.
In modern day Italy, Seb Luce is the attractive Italian lawyer entrusted with Ennio Da Calvi’s affairs. The file appeals to his curiosity and determination to find answers to the questions left by an intriguing legacy…
What does all of this mean for Cristi, what decisions will she face, and is this a chance for her to find out who she really is?
£10.99 -
Manifest for a Humanist Religio
In this book, we journey into the sacred spaces within our hearts, uncovering the light that shines from them, the very essence of our existence. At the dawn of time, the divine was within us, and through it, we communed with a Love that embraced all creation. Yet, as monotheistic religions and materialism took hold, we grew distant from one another, from nature, and from the diversity that once united us. We became strangers to the living world around us, whether human, animal, plant, or mineral, all bearers of the same primordial energy.
This book invites you to rediscover that connection, to awaken to the truth that we are all divine, sacred vessels of the divine presence. Reconnection begins with the realization that something vital is missing, something we sense deep within, a longing, an inexpressible nostalgia. Saudade.
£6.99 -
Good Grazing and Other Stories
This collection presents ten short stories, bound together by their connection to New Zealand, whether set within its shores or following the experiences of a New Zealander abroad. Spanning past, present, and even the future (as in the story ‘Good Grazing’), these tales explore a range of moods and themes, from the light-hearted to the thought-provoking.
In the tradition of Shakespearean comedies, most stories here find their way to a satisfying end, though ‘The Magpie’ and ‘Walk a Mile’ venture into darker territories, offering readers food for thought. Fans of ‘The Cone Man’ will be delighted by the return of Norman Humbolt, now grappling with the entanglements of modern politics and social media – with unexpected results.
Two of the stories, ‘Good Grazing’ and ‘As a New Zealander Might Regard Rome’, touch on contemporary social issues related to Māori culture, portraying a hopeful future with a touch of humour. At its heart, this collection is a lighthearted journey into the world as a New Zealander might see it: full of humour, insight, and occasional kernels of truth. Readers planning a trip to New Zealand may even find a glimpse of what awaits, as the real locations described are easily discoverable.
£7.99
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