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Hodder and Stoughton
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Norm knew it was going to be one of those days when he was woken by the sound of an elephant breaking wind in the next room... Not the best start to a day, but it's about to get a whole lot worse. As if a trip to see his perfect cousins isn't bad enough, they've only gone and got the brand new Call Of Mortal Battle! Not that Norm could play anyway what with being banned off Xbox due to a curious incident of a stinky dog at bath time. Business as usual? ABSO-FLIPPING-LUTELY!!! The seventh hilarious title in this award-winning, laugh-out-loud series. For fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and David Walliams. |
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Thirteen-year-old schoolboy, Dirk Lloyd, has a dark secret — in fact he is a dark secret. Dirk — according to his own account — is the earthly incarnation of a Dark Lord, supreme ruler of the Darklands and leader of great armies of orcs and warriors, intent on destruction and bloody devastation. Following a colossal final battle between the forces of good and evil, the Dark Lord was defeated and hurled by his arch-foe's spells into the Pit of Uttermost Despair. At the bottom of the Pit lies... a supermarket car park in the municipal town of Whiteshields, somewhere in modern day England. And when he is found, and tries to explain that he is the Dark Lord, people think he means Dirk Lloyd. The fact that he's trapped in the puny body of a schoolboy doesn't help. And so begins Dirk's battle to recover his dignity, his power, and his lands... Along the way he faces the inconvenience of being fostered by a do-gooding family, the Purejoies; the torture of endless hours of drudgery at the Whiteshields Brainwashing Centre (aka school); a vengeful Headmaster; two interfering Psychotic Persecutors (psychotherapists); and constant laughter and disrespect when he attempts to marshall his lackeys and lickspittles (friends) to do what he wants them to. Dirk makes friends with the son of his foster family, Christopher, and the local Goth Girl, Sooz, and together they attempt to cast a spell that will transport Dirk back to his homeland. Inevitably, not everything goes to plan... But that's for book 2. |
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Charles Henderson is the last British spy left in occupied France in 1940, living on a farm near Calais with four runaway kids cut adrift by the war. He and his young agents are playing a dangerous game: translating for the German high command and sending information back to Britain about the Nazi plans to invade England in September, on Eagle Day. The RAF must destroy the Nazi invasion fleet, but Northern France is heavily defended and the camouflaged barges are impossible to target at night. Together, Henderson and his team hatch a daring plan to guide the British bombers to their target. Their lives are on the line, but the stakes couldn't possibly be higher. |
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An absorbing, evocative and rich period drama of buried secrets and lost love. When a mysterious countess arrives late in life to live in a large house on the outskirts of a beautiful Hampshire village, the local tongues start wagging. No one is more intrigued than Cecily Chadwick, idling away the long, hot summer of 1911 with nothing much to do. Cecily is deeply fascinated by the exotic elderly lady, and as she gets to know her, is riveted by the tales of her life on the continent. And when she meets Jack, the Countess's grandson, she realises that there is much more to both of them than meets the eye and that there are long hidden secrets still to be revealed... |
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A gripping, thought-provoking and intriguing novel about murder, death row and how a life can change in a heartbeat. An irresistible read for those who loved WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN. At just twenty-five, Noa P. Singleton was confined to death row for the murder of Sarah Dixon. For nearly ten years she has languished there, and in six months she will be executed. It's a fate she has long resigned herself to. But the victim's mother, Marlene, has other plans. With little time remaining, she visits Noa, intent upon invoking a clemency appeal. What can have prompted this change of heart? And how and why did Noa kill Sarah Dixon? As Noa tells her story, an unapologetic tale of love, anguish and deception emerges that is as unpredictable as its narrator. And two women, linked by murder but with very different goals, wait with growing tension for the final decision on Noa's fate. |
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It is 2008, late capitalism is in crisis, and the great and the good are gathered at an Islington house party. Hosting proceedings are waspish Sherard Howe, scion of a publishing dynasty and owner of a left-wing magazine, and his wife, Daphne Depree, whose feminist work The Third Sex is seen — to her increasing discomfort — as an intellectual cornerstone of the Blair era. The guests include cabinet ministers, celebrated artists and peers of the realm; but somehow it's doubtful that any number of grandees would overshadow Afua, the Howes' beautiful and supremely ambitious adopted daughter, already a rising star of the Labour Party. Into this world arrives twenty-four-year-old Elizabeth Buzzy Price, an aspiring poet only too aware of her suburban background. Moral support is at hand from shy but devoted Henry, the Howes' biological son — though perhaps Buzzy is most grateful for her friend's connection to her own unrequited love, Afua's boyfriend, the worldly Marcel. As the years pass and a coalition government takes office, Buzzy's fortunes rise and the elder Howes' lives threaten to unravel. But do the civilising possibilities of art involve enlarging Buzzy's romantic ambitions, or revealing their moral complacency? And could meek and gentle Henry, having angered his family by going to work for the political enemy, turn out to be steelier than anyone thought — as steely, even, as his formidable adopted sister? Barbarians is a debut of extraordinary scope and confidence; a fresh, contemporary novel about love, art and politics, told with a 19th century sensibility. |
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'Words are a big deal. They are containers for power. I believe that our words can increase or decrease our level of joy. They can affect the answers to our prayers and have a positive or negative effect on our future.' Joyce Meyer shows us how the words we use shape our well-being and that choosing the right ones could change our lives for the better! In CHANGE YOUR WORDS, CHANGE YOUR LIFE Joyce provides a series of guidelines for making sure that our words are constructive, healthy, healing and used to good effect. Topics include: — The impact of words; — How to tame your tongue; — When to talk and when not to talk; — Speaking faith and not fear; — The corrosion of complaints; — Do you really have to give your opinion? — The importance of keeping your word; — The power of speaking God's word In a 'Dictionary of God's Word' at the end of the book, Joyce recommends dozens of scripture verses to read out loud as one way of using and claiming healing words. |
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Waking in the middle of the night whilst on holiday, Tony Hawks declares an epiphany to his barely conscious partner Fran. Fed up of living in a city where the only contact with his neighbours in three years was a dispute over a boundary fence, his mind has been made up and it's time for a change... of postcode. At the age of 53, Tony is finally ready to renounce his London lifestyle and head for the countryside, and to his enormous surprise, Fran agrees. Once Upon a Time in the West... Country tells the story of how a series of events lead Tony and Fran to uproot their city lives for a rural alternative in deepest Devon. Full of Tony's trademark mixture of humour, hope, adventure and absurdity, this book will chart their journey as they adapt from the relative ease of city life to the vagaries of a village community. But between organic gardening courses, attending village meetings and the impending birth of his first child, Tony still has time for one last adventure, cycling coast to coast with a mini pig called Titch. Full of eclectic characters — including the best neighbour in the world — Once Upon a Time in the West... Country is the heartwarming and hilarious tale of Tony Hawks' new life in the country. |
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Global phenomenon and Sunday Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman returns to dazzle, captivate, haunt, and entertain with this third collection of short fiction following Smoke and Mirrors and Fragile Things, which includes a never-before published American Gods story, BLACK DOG. In this new volume, Neil Gaiman pierces the veil of reality to reveal the enigmatic, shadowy world that lies beneath. Trigger Warning includes previously published pieces of short fiction-stories, verse, and a very special Doctor Who story that was written for the fiftieth anniversary of the beloved series in 2013-as well as BLACK DOG, a new tale that revisits the world of American Gods. Trigger Warning is a rich cornucopia of horror and ghosts stories, science fiction and fairy tales, fabulism and poetry that explores the realm of experience and emotion. In Adventure Story-a thematic companion to The Ocean at the End of the Lane-Gaiman ponders death and the way people take their stories with them when they die. His social media experience A Calendar of Tales are short takes inspired by replies to fan tweets about the months of the year-stories of pirates and the March winds, an igloo made of books, and a Mother's Day card that portends disturbances in the universe. Gaiman offers his own ingenious spin on Sherlock Holmes in his award-nominated mystery tale The Case of Death and Honey. And Click-Clack the Rattlebag explains the creaks and clatter we hear when we're all alone in the darkness. A writer whose creative genius is unparalleled, Gaiman entrances with his literary alchemy, transporting us deep into the realm of imagination, where the fantastical becomes real and the everyday incandescent. Trigger Warning engages the mind, stirs the heart, and shakes the soul. Neil Gaiman is one of the most original and popular literary artists of our day. |
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STEVE JOBS: THE WILDERNESS YEARS will be the first comprehensive look at Jobs' years following his dismissal from Apple. During this time a combination of exile, failure and family saw him mature from the childish genius who left in disgrace in the mid-80s, to the man who returned just over a decade later to create a world changing, visionary company. Based on recently rediscovered, personal taped interviews between Jobs and Schlender — who had known each other for 25 years — as well as various sources from Job's business and personal life, this groundbreaking book will focus on the maturation of the most important business figure in modern history: how it happened, why it happened, and what that meant for Jobs, Apple, and business and culture around the world. |
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David Suchet shares his many memories of creating this iconic television series and reflects on what the detective has meant to him over the yearsIn the summer of 2013 David Suchet filmed his final scenes as Hercule Poirot. After 24 years in the role, he played the character in every story that Agatha Christie wrote about him (bar one, deemed unfilmable) and he bid adieu to a role and a character that changed his life. Here he tells the story of how he secured the part, with the blessing of Agatha Christie's daughter, and set himself the task of presenting the most authentic Poirot that had ever been filmed. David Suchet is uniquely placed to offer the ultimate companion to one of the world's longest running television series. Peppered with anecdotes about filming, including many tales of the guest stars who have appeared over the years, the book is essential reading for Poirot fans all over the world. |
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In Robert Peston's new book he explains in his characteristically straightforward way how the world got itself into the current economic mess — and how we might get out of it. How do we fix this mess? I don't know. But don't stop reading now. Perhaps if we have a clearer understanding of what went wrong, we'll have a better idea of what needs to be done. This book is a map of what needs to be fixed. The record-breaking unbroken growth between 1992 and 2008 wasn't the economic miracle that it seemed. It was based on a number of dangerous illusions — most notably that it didn't matter that the UK and US year after year consumed more than they earned. But we couldn't go on increasing our indebtedness forever. The financial crash of 2007/8 and the subsequent economic slump in much of the west was the moment when we realised we had borrowed more than we could afford to repay. So who got it wrong? Banks, bankers, investors and regulators? And were those regulators stupid, or asleep? And what was the role of government? And what part did we, the consumers, play in all this? How do we get through this difficult period of transition to a more sustainable economy, one based on investment and exports, rather than on borrowing and consumption? With the same probing lucidity he brought to WHO RUNS BRITAIN?, Robert Peston takes us step-by-step towards a common sense way to fix this mess. |
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Every night Herb's mother would read him a bedtime story. Sometimes it was about a big bad wolf who terrified little girls and their grandmothers with his chilling growl and big yellow teeth. The story got very nasty in the middle and everybody nearly came to a sticky end. But, by the last page, it all turned out well and went happy-ever-afterly. But what will happen to Herb when the wolves escape from his book? Will they gobble him up? Or will it all end happily ever after? Read this thrilling tale to find out — and learn what to do if the wolves ever escape from your storybook! |
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Welcome to a strange and twisted world where the spooky, the shocking, and the positively petrifying are lurking just out of sight. A bus ride home ...turns into your worst nightmare. A quaint country cottage ...has a grisly secret. A man returns from holiday ...with bubbling skin and bloodshot eyes. Horowitz Horror. It's all around you. Alive. Waiting. Enter if you dare. |
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This is an in-depth guide to the origins, history, beliefs and practices of this major world religion. Covering all the main aspects of the faith, from the significance of Jesus Christ and the Bible, to the church's place in society today, get the whole picture in this fascinating and informative read. NOT GOT MUCH TIME? One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started. AUTHOR INSIGHTS Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author's many years of experience. TEST YOURSELF Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress. EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGE Extra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of psychology. FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts. TRY THIS Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it. |
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The first HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON book ever, and the inspiration for Cressida Cowell's best-selling fiction books that is now a Dreamworks feature film. So begins Cressida Cowell's stories about a little Viking who cannot fit in. Unlike his dad, Stoick the Vast, Hiccup is tiny, thoughtful and polite and scared of almost everything — especially of going to sea for the very first time. But go he must... So who will save the day when everything goes wrong aboard ship and all the big Vikings lose their cool? This wonderfully witty fable will delight all those who have ever faced up to their worst fears. This 2014 reissue includes a letter from Cressida Cowell to the reader. |
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Celebrating 25 years of Katie with a beautiful new cover look! When Katie and her brother, Jack, visit London with Grandma, at first it seems it's full of big buses, big buildings and bigger crowds. When they stop off at Trafalgar Square, something quite unusual happens they meet a talking stone lion! The lion takes them on a wonderful tour of the city taking in such sights as The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and the London Eye! It's a daytrip to London that Katie and Jack will never forget! Featuring many of the key sights of Britain's capital, this storybook has become a bestselling introduction to London, and a perfect story for children visiting the city for the first time. |
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Would you trust a complete stranger? After Chloe and her daughter Freya are rescued from disaster by a man who seems too good to be true, Chloe decides she must find him again to thank him. But instead of meeting her knight in shining armour, she encounters a woman called Nadine Caspian who warns her to stay well away from him. He is dangerous, Nadine claims, and a compulsive liar. Alarmed, Chloe asks her what she means, but Nadine will say no more. Chloe knows that the sensible choice would be to walk away — after all, she doesn't know anything about this man. But she is too curious. What could Nadine have meant? And can Chloe find out the truth without putting herself and her daughter in danger? |
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It might be a dream, but Norm soon finds that things go from bad to worse — when his perfect cousins arrive for a walk. If there was one thing worse than spending time with his perfect cousins it was being forced to go on a flipping walk with them! What's the point in going for a walk — except to get from A to B?! Jonathan Meres follows up May Contain Nuts with another laugh-out-loud story about Norm, a boy who can't understand why everything always seems unfair... An award-winning, laugh-out-loud series for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and David Walliams. |
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It seems like the whole world has gone mad. His dad's obsessed with gas, his best friend has come down with a case of hormones and his brother is in dire need of deodorant. Looks like there's going to be quite a stink. Is life still unfair for Norm? ABSO-FLIPPING-LUTELY! Jonathan Meres follows up May Contain Nuts and May Cause Irritation with another laugh-out-loud story about Norm, a boy who can't understand why everything always seems unfair... An award-winning, laugh-out-loud series for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and David Walliams. |
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