Second chunky new fantasy in two days, I’m spoiling you all!
THE JAGUAR PATH │16 FEBRUARY 2023│ HB │ EB │EA Anna Stephens
Book Two of the new epic fantasy trilogy by the acclaimed author of GODBLIND.
The Empire of Songs reigns supreme. Across all the lands of Ixachipan, its hypnotic, magical music sounds. Those who battled against the Empire have been enslaved and dispersed, taken far from their friends and their homes.
In the Singing City, Xessa must fight for the entertainment of her captors. Lilla and thousands of warriors are trained to serve as weapons for their enemies. And Tayan is trapped at the heart of the Empire’s power and magic, where the ruthless Enet’s ambition is ever growing.
Each of them harbours a secret hope, waiting for a chance to strike at the Empire from within.
But first they must overcome their own desires. Power can seduce as well as crush. And, in exchange for their loyalty, the Empire promises much.
Once, Lan had a different name. Now, she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her when they invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. She spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the conquerors, and spends her days scavenging for remnants of the past. For anything that might help her understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother, in her last act before she died.
No one can see the mysterious mark, an untranslatable Hin character, except Lan. Until the night a boy appears at the teahouse and saves her life.
Zen is a practitioner – one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom, whose abilities were rumoured to be drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Magic to be hidden from the Elantians at all costs.
Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.
A collection of inspiring, funny, dark, mysterious, tragic, romantic, dramatic, upbeat and fantastical short stories. These 24 stories are written by a variety of authors, with the aim to inspire readers with positive visions of what a sustainable society might look like and how we might get there.
The stories are diverse in style, ranging from whodunnits to sci-fi, romance to family drama, comedy to tragedy, and cover a range of solution types from high-tech to nature-based solutions, to more systemic aspects relating to our culture and political economy.
Information about the Book Title: Out of the Blue Author: Robert Tregoning Illustrator: Stef Murphy Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Release Date: 2nd February 2023 Genre: Picture Book
Blurb
ONLY BLUE ALLOWED, by Blue government demand. Anything that isn’t blue, by colour law, is banned.
In a very blue house on a very blue street, sits a little boy who feels as blue as the world around him. For this little boy has a BIG secret: he loves the colour yellow.
In a world where only one colour is allowed, will he be brave enough to tell his dad? And will they be able to defy the rules and create a world where EVERY colour is welcome?
One boy and his dad are about to come OUT OF THE BLUE and into life in technicolour!
A stunning celebration of being yourself and living in ALL the colours of the rainbow, from debut author Robert Tregoning and rising star illustrator Stef Murphy. Championing difference, diversity and pride, this gloriously illustrated picture book is perfect for fans of Perfectly Norman, Grandad’s Camper and Julian Is a Mermaid.
The third in the series featuring Hella Mauzer, to follow on the success of Evil Things and Deep as Death. A Nordic Noir of the first-order set in Helsinki in 1953. A dark political thriller at the heart of the Cold War; a novel about ruthless ambition and betrayal, but also about the challenges of being a single professional woman in post-war Europe.
Helsinki, June 1953, at the heart of the Cold War. Hella, now a reluctant private investigator, has been asked by her former boss at the Helsinki murder squad to do a background check on a member of the Finnish secret services. Not the type of job Hella was hoping for, but she accepts it on the condition that she is given access to the files concerning the roadside death of her father in 1942, at a time when Finland joined forces with Nazi Germany in its attack against the Soviet Union. German troops were sent to Finland, the Gestapo arrived in Helsinki and German influence on local government was strong, including demands for the deportation of local Jews.
Colonel Mauzer, his wife and other family members were killed by a truck in a hit and run incident. An accident, file closed, they said. But not for Hella, whose unwelcome investigation leads to some who would prefer to see her stopped dead in her tracks.
When Mala the Koala stomps into the forest, feeling very crummy, a little mouse suggests Mala will soon feel better if she starts to be kind. But how? wonders Mala. Soon she’s sharing her lunch with some emu chicks, helping a baby bat and comforting her friend, Wombat – discovering, on her way, that kindness really is what makes the world go round. This easy-to-read rhyming story, with gentle humour and gorgeous artwork, is a perfect introduction to kindness.
Genetically-modified teens try to bring down the organisation that made them, in this second action-packed installment in the 21% Monster series. The girl put her hands on her hips, cocked her head and answered: ‘My name is Aurora María Ash-Valero and I’m here to kick your butt!” Since Darren Devlin and Marek Masters joined forces, there has only been one thing on their minds – taking down XSP, the secret organisation that transformed them into genetically-modified superhumans. Even with 21% monster Darren’s incredible strength, and 19% alien Marek’s super intelligence, XSP is more than a match for them. But what if there was another survivor of XSP’s experiments? A tall, tough, athletic teen girl able to withstand sub-zero temperatures and track potential predators? A girl who’s 17% sabre-tooth polar bear, and out for revenge. Two’s company, but Three IS UNSTOPPABLE in this high-octane adventure, 21% Monster: Ice Giant.
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co ISBN: 9781399608688
From the cat-fanatical literary phenomenon Sir Terry Pratchett, via the unquestionable wisdom of his fictional feline creation Maurice, herein is contained everything you’ll ever need to know to identify the real, unadulterated cat! Rediscover Sir Terry’s 1989 guide to separating Real Cats from the riff raff – now featuring artwork from the creative minds behind the Amazing Maurice film and a new intro by Rhianna Pratchett!
As more and more of us settle for those boring mass-produced cats the Ad Men and influencers sell us – the filtered felines that purr into their gold-plated food bowls with unruffled fur and without a ‘blep’ in sight – the Campaign for Real Cats sets out to help us to recognise a true, unadulterated cat when we see one!
For example: real cats have ears that look like they’ve been trimmed with pinking shears; real cats never wear flea collars…or appear on Christmas cards… or chase anything with a bell in it; real cats do eat quiche. And giblets. And butter. And anything else left on the table, if they think they can get away with it. Real cats can hear a fridge door opening two rooms away…
Featuring fifty illustrations and artwork from the creative minds behind the Amazing Maurice film, plus introduction by Rhianna Pratchett rediscover Sir Terry’s wit and wisdom from the original edition and re-educate yourself on how to separate Real Cats from the riff raff!
This is not a Discworld book. Terry Pratchett was a cat collector, or he was collected by a lot of cats. He clearly had strong opinions on what made a ‘real cat’ and he’s bloody hilarious doing it. There are anecdotes about Houdini cats who get into and out of locked bungalows, where cats can come from, and the Schrodinger travelling cat hypothesis. That last one does make sense. Where do all the random cats come from?
This edition has illustrations from the new Amazing Maurice animated film, rather than the original illustrations. They’re not bad. I haven’t seen the film or the original illustrations so I can’t make comparisons. I loved Rhianna Pratchett’s introduction, it is full of love for her father and their clowder of cats over the years. Some of the names they had are hilarious.
If you love STPs work, then you might want to pick up this book.
Wandering cleric Chih of the Singing Hills travels to the riverlands to record tales of the notorious near-immortal martial artists who haunt the region. On the road to Betony Docks, they fall in with a pair of young women far from home, and an older couple who are more than they seem. As Chih runs headlong into an ancient feud, they find themselves far more entangled in the history of the riverlands than they ever expected to be.
Accompanied by Almost Brilliant, a talking bird with an indelible memory, Chih confronts old legends and new dangers alike as they learn that every story—beautiful, ugly, kind, or cruel—bears more than one face.
The Singing Hills Cycle
The Empress of Salt and Fortune When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain Into the Riverlands
The novellas of The Singing Hills Cycle are linked by the cleric Chih, but may be read in any order, with each story serving as an entry point.
My Review
I’ve been waiting for this book to come out. It’s Chih’s next adventure and I wanted to know what they would get up to. I adore Almost Brilliant, they’re funny and sharp. In this novella, Chih and Almost Brilliant fall in with a couple of young women on the road and a middle aged couple. They are legends and legends in the making, and it is Chih’s job to write down their stories.
Vo’s novellas are always a joy to read, as we explore the world they’ve built around Chih and their adventures, through multiple eyes with the mediation of Chih and Almost Brilliant. This book is short but immersive. It takes you into a world of magic, legends and mammoths, based on a version of Chinese history, into a world where heroes from the stories live and breathe, fight and love.
Genetically-modified teens try to bring down the organisation that made them.
Fun, fast-paced, high-octane action adventure, 21% Monster is a perfect page-turning new series for fans of Alex Rider, Percy Jackson and the MCU generation. When Darren Devlin is arrested for destroying his school with his bare hands, it’s not just the police who are after him. Enter Marek Masters, 14 years old, 19% alien, and the most intelligent, most wanted “almost human” alive. Marek is here to tell Darren the truth – he is 21% monster, and together they must take down the secret organisation that created them. Darren and Marek are wanted, powerful and dangerous. And now it’s payback time.
Everything Is Better With Dragons 