Showing results by narrator "Clare Clare" in All Categories

When a man and a woman get married, things can get complicated. When they have children from previous marriages, "complicated" can become the understatement of the year.

The Serpent of Division features murder and mystery, a charming pirate, Oxford colleges and libraries, a buxom bookseller reminiscent of the Wife of Bath and a Persian physician with a fondness for Rumi. All have a part to play, as the granddaughter of Geoffrey Chaucer fights for survival against her ruthless neighbour Sir Robert Harcourt and the machinations of Elizabeth Wydeville, descendant of the serpent fairy Melusine and queen of Edward IV. It is set during the politically rocky final years of the Wars of the Roses.

The truth is, a Book of Shadows is a book that contains religious texts and instructions that guide the users to the way of magical rituals that belong to the neopagan religion of Wicca and is used in many pagan practices. In a sense that is not parallel to the traditional idea of the Book of Shadows or electric forms of Wiccan practice, the term can also be often used to describe a personal journal.

Before Josephine Brown began working as a blade expert for Farnham's Fantastical Female Fayre, she'd never stayed put for long. She'd never had friends, either. Nor had she allowed herself to open her heart to a man. Yet now, as part owner of the circus, she's suddenly forming real friendships. And then there is her attraction to clever, handsome Honorable Elliot Wingate—whose life she happened to save. After forever fleeing her past, the last man she should choose is one who ferrets out secrets on behalf of King and Country . . .

Quoins are accepted currency throughout the thousands of worlds of the Congregation. Ancient, and of unknown origin and purpose, people have traded with them, fought for them, and stolen quoin hordes from booby-trapped caches at risk to life and limb throughout the Thirteen Occupations. Only now it's becoming clear they have another purpose...as do the bankers who've been collecting them.

Some secrets should have stayed buried. Lucy Mitchell was abandoned by her mother and left to fend for herself in foster care. This is where she met Amber and Josh, but living in a strict foster home brought fears of its own. Fears that brought Amber and Lucy closer together. Amber and Lucy formed a pact. They said they would be friends for life and often found solace in the local woods to escape from their foster carer, Linda. This was a place they used to hide together, but when one day only one girl returns from the woods, a note is found saying that Amber has run away.

A true rags-to-riches tale, Jonah's journey spans the breadth of human experience, from the intricacies of Edward III's political intrigues to the cutthroat world of international trade, from the triumphs of war to the agonies of personal loss - love, friendship, joy, heartbreak and glory. Set largely in London - the Scarlet City - the centre of medieval England, this is a thrilling portrait of the age and the people who made it so rich, colourful and extraordinary.

Gabrielle Adams has it all - brains, beauty, a handsome fiancé and a dream job in publishing. Until everything changes. The ‘Underground Killer’ takes his victims when they least expect it: standing on the edge of a busy Tube platform, as they wait for a train to arrive through the murky underground tunnels of London. Gabrielle soon learns that being a survivor is harder than being a victim, and she struggles to return to her old life. Desperate to break free from endless nightmares, she snatches up an opportunity to run a tiny bookshop in a picturesque cove in rural Cornwall.

A gripping narrative from the master of the race against time thriller. Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time? You are hiking in the Scottish highlands with three friends when you come across a girl. She is half-naked, has been badly beaten, and she can’t speak English. She is clearly running away from someone. Do you stop to help her? Even if it means putting your friends’ lives - and your own - in terrible danger?

The tales in Mark Haddon's lyrical and uncompromising new collection take many forms - Victorian adventure story, science fiction, morality tale, contemporary realism - but they all showcase his virtuoso gifts as a stylist and the deep well of empathy that made his three best-selling novels so compelling. The characters here are often isolated physically or estranged from their families, yet they yearn for connection.

Shortly before her death Angela Carter was preparing this volume of short stories, one which does full justice to the glory of her imagination and the range of her talent. It is divided into distinct parts. The first comprises a group of stories inspired by America: Lizzie Borden visits a circus; a John Ford Western is spiced with the story of 'Tis Pity She's a Whore'; and there is a wonderful Gothic extravaganza set in Hollywood. The second section - Old World Wonders - draws on fairy tales.

Mindfulness Plain and Simple provides the tools, tips and tricks you need to de-stress and de-clutter your mind. Inner peace and happiness are available now, and they're closer than you think. By taking just a few minutes out of your day and making the simple but dramatic shift into the present moment, you will find more focus, effectiveness and clarity than you ever thought possible. There is no jargon, religion or new age vision quest, just simple tools to be happier and more confident straight away.

Who would win in a slow sprint, the Australian Tiger Beetle or the American falcon? Is the sperm whale built to be a great long-distance swimmer or is perseverance her winning attribute? What would a tiger look like in a bikini? Find out all of this and more in the Animal Games, a competition like no other, where the world's most fascinating animals go head to head to become champions in their field. Full of fascinating and surprising facts and motivational takeaways that show even the most understated animals have hidden skills, you can't always judge something by its appearance.

The Other Woman by debut author Sandie Jones is a gripping psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Michelle Frances' The Girlfriend and B A Paris' Behind Closed Doors. There's nothing that this mother wouldn't do for her son.... Emily thinks Adam's perfect: the man she always hoped but never thought she'd meet. But lurking in the shadows is a rival, a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves. A mother whose love for her son knows no bounds.

The ruined manor promised her romance, but its master was maddeningly elusive. Prey to gothic sensibilities, Miss Lenora Breckinridge is smitten with the air of tragedy and romance surrounding an abandoned mansion. Convinced that she is fated to become its mistress, she sets out to find the master, secure in the belief that he will fall madly in love with her and they will use her fortune to restore the manor together.

Helen Fairfax is a ferry pilot and the mother of Peter, aged six. From Monday to Friday, she flies from factories to airfields, then returns to the family farmhouse where her parents look after the boy. She feels torn being away from her son so much, but after her husband died in the Battle of Britain she vowed to live up to his example of courage and strike back at the enemy. Now the Germans are about to launch the V-2 against London, and MI6 is desperate to get its hands on an undamaged prototype of the rocket to discover how it might be defeated.

The first chapter of a manuscript arrives on Publisher Marina’s desk. She assumes it’s just another novel by another aspiring writer. As the chapters arrive one by one, Marina is convinced they are about her past. There’s only one person who can know everything about the scandal, the trial, and the trauma that nearly broke her. This is one story that should never be told, and Marina is so desperate she will do anything to stop it getting out.

When Cecile Tremblay lost everyone and everything in the French Revolution, she never imagined that she'd earn her living as a markswoman in a London circus. But Farnham's Fantastical Female Fayre has become her home, her family, and her future. Another thing Cecile never imagined was becoming entangled with the man gossip columns call The Darling of the Ton. But mere weeks after her rejection of his insulting carte blanche—and his infuriating engagement to an heiress—Darlington is back, this time to beg Cecile for help.

If you have never considered learning to play the piano before, now is a good time to explore the option. It is never too late as long as you have all your faculties intact. However, the longer you have to play, the more you will get out of it. If you are truly interested in playing the piano, do not put it off another day. Start learning all you can from this moment on. It may be the best decision you have ever made for yourself. Start now by listening to this book.

In Trustworthy AI, award-winning executive Beena Ammanath offers a practical approach for enterprise leaders to manage business risk in a world where AI is everywhere by understanding the qualities of trustworthy AI and the essential considerations for its ethical use within the organization and in the marketplace. The author draws from her extensive experience across different industries and sectors in data, analytics and AI, the latest research and case studies, and the pressing questions and concerns business leaders have about the ethics of AI.