Other books that might interest you

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  The Ministry of Pain - A Novel

  Dubravka Ugrešic

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  Far from home, a fractured community of Yugoslav outcasts struggle with their lives in award–winning author Dubravka Ugrešić’s novel The Ministry of Pain.   Having fled the violent breakup of Yugoslavia, Tanja Lucic is now a professor of literature at the University of Amsterdam, where she teaches a class filled with other young Yugoslav exiles, most of whom earn meager wages assembling leather and rubber S&M clothing at a sweatshop they call the “Ministry.”   Abandoning literature, Tanja encourages her students to indulge their “Yugonostalgia” in essays about their personal experiences during their homeland’s cultural and physical disintegration. But Tanja’s act of academic rebellion incites the rage of one renegade member of her class—and pulls her dangerously close to another—which, in turn, exacerbates the tensions of a life in exile that has now begun to spiral seriously out of control.  “A shiningly weird and powerful novel. . . . [It] approaches perfection.” —Washington Post  “Soulful, often searing. . . . This is a work that comes from the gut, one that deserves to be read.” —New York Times Book Review  “Splendidly ambitious. . . . She is a writer to follow. A writer to be cherished.” —Susan Sontag

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  The Portrait of a Lady

  Henry James

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  Henry James’s beloved novel about a young woman’s search for freedom in a world that seeks to tie her to convention In the wake of her father’s death, young Isabel Archer decides to travel to England to visit her aunt, leaving behind the life set out for her in America and spurning the romantic overtures of her Bostonian suitor. At her aunt’s country estate, Isabel is determined to plot a new course unburdened by routine. But, prodded by convention at every turn, Isabel makes a decision that not only undermines her longing for independence, but may seal her fate forever. Among one of Henry James’s most timeless works, The Portrait of a Lady is a rich and nuanced depiction of human psychology and the tension between the pull of social norms and the desire for autonomy. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.

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  The ugly sisters

  Danny King

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  For hundreds of years, readers have been enchanted by the tale of Cinderella, of how a nobleman's daughter escaped a life of servitude with the help of a pumpkin, a pair of glass slippers and her Fairy Godmother. But the truth is very different from the fairytale yet no less extraordinary. Marigold and Gardenia Roche have simple dreams; to marry well and live happily ever after. Yet this is a tricky proposition when neither heralds from money nor could be considered a great beauty. But two events are about to change the lives of everyone in the tiny Kingdom of Andovia: the first is the announcement of a great ball, at which the Crown Prince has vowed to choose a bride. The second is the arrival of a widowed French nobleman and his beautiful daughter. Two events, seemingly unconnected, and yet both will have dire consequences for all – unless something is done. Marigold and Gardenia's lives are about to become entwined with the girl who would be Queen. And yet few will ever know the dangers they faced nor the sacrifices they made to save a vainglorious Kingdom from the damsel with the crocodile smile.
  Every child knows the story of Cinderella. But this is the story of Marigold and Gardenia Roche – otherwise known as the Ugly Sisters. And it is no fairytale.
  »One of the few writers to make me laugh out loud.« – David Baddiel, Comedian
  »One of Britain's best kept literary secrets.« – The Big Issue in the North

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  The Arabian Mistress and The...

  Lynne Graham

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  The Arabian Mistress  Faye Dawson dreaded the idea of begging for Prince Tariq Shazad ibn Zachir's mercy. A year had passed since she'd last seen the man…on their wedding day! But Faye's brother has been imprisoned in her estranged husband's homeland and only Tariq could grant his release. Though Faye didn't expect her meeting with the sheikh to be easy, Tariq's ultimatum took her breath away—become his mistress and her brother would have his freedom!  The Contaxis Baby  Socialite Lizzie Denton has been wrongly labeled a heartbreaker after a depressed young man dies in a horrific car crash. Though Lizzie would like to dispel the rumors, she made a promise not to tell anyone the truth. Greek tycoon Sebasten Contaxis is devastated by his half brother's death and wants to punish the woman responsible. But when he discovers that the stunning beauty he can't keep his hands off is the same woman he's been seeking, Sebasten alters his scheme. After all, one broken heart deserves another, right?

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  Edge of Extinction

  Robert J. Szmidt

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  When the ruthless aliens attack the outer reaches of the Federation, Humankind is forced to retreat haphazardly from dozens of conquered systems. The only chance to delay the advance of the enemy is to create hundreds of fake colonies. If that doesn’t work, the Fleet will be forced to face the ma’lahn in a series of open battles, which can lead to its annihilation. Politicians, however, do not care about the consequences. Their goal is to preserve power, even at the cost of billions of lives. The headquarters of the third metasector must meet the requirements of the Council on the one hand, and prevent the destruction of the only force that is able to defend Humankind on the other. But this war has another—human and personal—dimension: Major Darski must fight to save the colonists that he left on Ulietta…. Edge of Extinction is book three in The Fields of Long-Forgotten Battles series.

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  The Almost Truth - an...

  Anne Hamilton

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  'In a life full of books and not enough time to read them, I never read a novel twice. This one I will' Clo CareyWinner of the Irish Novel Fair 2021 
  A compelling story of family, secrets, identity, and a reminder that love and life can surprise you… right until the very end. 
  When Alina’s son, Fin, traces his long-absent birthfather, it’s the catalyst for decades of secrets to implode in Alina’s neatly ordered life. 
  With the sudden appearance of Rory, and the ever-present pull of a very different life in Bangladesh, she’s left reeling. 
  Three relationships, all of them built on half-truths. All Alina can truly be sure of, is that you can choose your family, you just can’t choose who they will turn out to be. 
  'A lovely, compelling read about love, family, and finding yourself' Becky Hunter, author of One Moment 
  'Intricately explores themes of home, family, identity, love, and loss, inviting readers to ponder the universal truths — and sometimes lies — that shape our lives' Jane Labous, author of Past Participle 
  'Anne Hamilton handles with ease and grace this complex and compelling 'big Hindi movie' of a novel' Caroline Moir, author of The Brockenspectre 
  'Set across Edinburgh, Bangladesh and Dublin, mysteries and family secrets abound in this intriguing novel' Elissa Soave, author of Ginger and Me 
  'A captivating tale of human dilemmas and the consequences of half-truths' Olga Wojtas 
  'A complex tale of interwoven cultures, told truthfully with humour and outright laughter, but always with Anne Hamilton's trademark sensitivity, understanding and honesty' Paul Soye, author of The Boy in the Gap

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