Collection: Adult

A young woman undertakes a terrifying journey--and a terrifying transformation--in this genre-blending speculative suspense novel set in South Korea and the US which mixes fantasy, gothic vibes and queer longing, with a shot of feminist body horror.

Fairytales are for children.
Until the day we awaken in a place full of monsters,
being softly enveloped by the dark.

Nineteen-year-old undocumented immigrant Hee-Jin lies on the floor of her cramped Seoul apartment, listening for footsteps.

But the knock on the door isn't the police finally coming to deport her to North Korea. Instead, sprawled on the doorstep is a disfigured, bird-like corpse--and it has her eyes. Her younger sister, artist Hee-Young, is meant to be on an art program in America, not dead of a strange overdose.

But in Hee-Young's pocket is a plane ticket and US passport. Seeing her chance for freedom, Hee-Jin steals her sister's identity and takes her place, determined to uncover what really happened to her.

But the deeper she dives into the program's strange workings, the closer she gets to the monstrous secret at its heart.

A page-turner of a mystery filled with gorgeous, creepy Korean folklore and imagery, Aviary, written by critically acclaimed Korean American author Maria Dong, is also a story about power, violence, exploitation--and transformation. And, above all, it's about the choices women make from within a system where all the available options are bad ones.

A young woman fights to follow her dreams at the start of the 1960s in this gripping, moving, and empowering read.

November 22, 1963. As Jolene Johnson prepares to watch President John F. Kennedy's parade drive by the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, she remembers the start of the decade, when the future seemed full of promise and hope.

America was on the brink of change when JFK entered the White House, and Jolene was in college with ambitions of her own. But she had no idea of the struggles that were to come . . .

As Jolene witnesses the country's deep political divisions take the darkest of turns on that tragic day, can she somehow find the courage to keep her own dreams alive and follow her heart?

This enthralling, hopeful novel about a young woman's determination to fight for a brighter future against a backdrop of political turmoil and tragedy is a great read for fans of The Women by Kristin Hannah.

A stirring account of one of our greatest environmental success stories: cleaning up Southern California's air.

Los Angeles and smog have been synonymous for decades. From the 1940s through the 1980s, children breathed air so heavy with lead that their blood was poisoned with it. In 1970 officials declared smog alerts on 235 days. But the last smog alert happened in 2003, and lead has virtually disappeared from the air. This is the story of how Los Angeles cleaned up its air.

In Smog and Sunshine, environmental law expert and LA native Ann Carlson recounts the dramatic policy fights and the determined scientists, lawyers, and community members who worked alongside public officials to face off against major polluters and save their city. In a time of unprecedented climate change and skepticism about government and science, this book is an inspiring reminder of what concerned residents, individual leaders, and all levels of government can achieve by working together.

What does it take to be at the top of the game? Learn how today's best players made it in this exciting book, which features short biographies of twenty-eight of the greatest soccer players on the field--from superstars like Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé to exciting newcomers like Lamine Yamal and Estevao Willian, and other goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and attackers. With the colorful graphics and key stats that fans have come to expect from the critically acclaimed Abbeville Sports series, Stars of World Soccer will be sure to captivate all young soccer devotees.

A woman's life is upended when her past comes back to mess with her mind in this psychological thriller full of twists and turns.

There's no such thing as perfect.

It's been fifteen years since Carly Bennett's mother was brutally murdered during a home robbery. Since then, she's worked hard to build a normal life with a stellar career as an English professor--far away from the picture-perfect stepfamily that abandoned her at boarding school.

When a male colleague is found dead in Carly's office--her name scrawled next to his body--everything she's strived for starts to fall apart. There are eerie similarities to her mother's attack, and Carly determines to find the truth.

Yet things take a bizarre turn when she suddenly experiences lost time, waking up in strange places, and flashes of dormant memories . . . memories that can't possibly be real. Because, if they are, then she was there the night her mother was killed.

Could Carly have been responsible? Or is something more sinister at play in her stepfamily's perfect world . . .?

This eerie domestic suspense is perfect for fans of Frieda McFadden and Lisa Jewell.

Welcome to the Museum of Unusual Occurrence--a place full of strange exhibits and even stranger murders. The first in the new Psychic City mystery series by talented author Erica Wright.

"Every small town thinks it's special--That might be true, but this one actually is."

Rational and cynical Aly Orlean's life in her psychic hometown of Wyndale, Florida couldn't be more hectic. It's all about running her business, raising a teenage sister, sending out holiday greetings--and her new task: finding a killer.

For her Museum of Unusual Occurrence not only houses odd curiosities but now has a brand-new display: The body of Rose Dempsey, a local twenty-year-old, set up in one of the exhibits as if she has been ritually sacrificed.

With the police clueless, Aly is worried that this is a vicious warning for her and her solitary way of life. Fearing for her sister Merope's well-being, she's determined to find out why the killer murdered Rose and how her body was placed in Aly's museum . . . But might the killer be someone hiding in plain sight?

Karen Russell's SWAMPLANDIA! meets Ruth Ware's THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY in this "suspenseful mystery populated with winning characters" (Booklist on Famous in Cedarville).

Ellen Curtis - professional declutterer, amateur sleuth and woman of a certain age - hunts for a missing will with a killer bequest in this gripping mystery from the original king of British cosy crime, Simon Brett.

Professional declutterer Ellen Curtis doesn't do house clearances. So when Tamara Nicklin, owner of a local gastropub, asks Ellen to clear her late father's house, she's not interested . . . even when Tamara admits that the real reason she wants to hire Ellen is to find his missing will.

Then Ellen discovers Tamara's husband has plans for the house. Plans Tamara doesn't know about. And it's clear to Ellen that this is the right job for her, after all.

Ellen dives in, and what she finds in the dead man's house soon makes her wonder if Tamara's father really fell down the stairs, or if he was pushed. Can she sort through the secrets and lies to find not just the missing will - but the truth?

This thoroughly engaging contemporary mystery, packed with red-herrings, is perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett and M.C. Beaton.

This probing account shines a new light on the problem of anti-Asian violence and inspires us to build lasting solidarity.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, racist demagoguery fomented a campaign of terror against Asian Americans. But these attacks were part of a much longer pattern that made anti-Asian racism integral to the outbreak of white supremacist, misogynist, and colonial violence across 175 years of U.S. history. Written in the radical spirit of Howard Zinn, American Peril represents the culmination of thirty-five years of study and activism by award-winning scholar Scott Kurashige.

From the lynching of Asian immigrants during the exclusion era to the ongoing slaughter of Asian civilians by the U.S. military, the book connects domestic and global events that have been erased from the official record. Going beyond victimhood, Kurashige traces the rise of Asian American community protest and activism in response to the 1982 murder of Vincent Chin and other overlooked tragedies. While many have worked to legislate and prosecute hate crimes, Kurashige argues that hope lies in grassroots activism for multiracial solidarity.

From USA Today bestselling author Lauren Palphreyman comes the highly anticipated sequel to The Wolf King, a romantasy for fans of enemies to lovers, shifters, forbidden romance, villains you love to hate (or maybe just love!), and werewolves.

"Let me have you. Just once. Please."

Aurora is caught between powerful alphas as they fight for the Wolf Throne. But darker forces are rising...

Aurora may have survived the Wolf King, but his bite marks her skin. In accordance with wolf law, that makes her his property. Now, he wants her back.

To beat him and take his throne, Aurora and Callum must form a dangerous alliance with one of the most feared Wolves in the Kingdom, Blake. He is their enemy, but he has entangled his life with Aurora's--meaning she cannot harm him without forfeiting her own life.

As she fights to break their connection, she suspects Blake is keeping secrets about a dark power that rises in the north, and the unsettling nature of the bond between them. It seems there is a bigger game at play than who sits on the Wolf Throne--one that threatens both the Kingdom of Wolves, and the Kingdom of Men.

With her wolf awakening, enemies closing in, relationships tested, and secrets revealed--Aurora may be the only one who can stop an ancient evil from rising.

If she can figure out who to trust.

If she can figure out where she, and her heart, belong.

If she can stay alive.

The official behind-the-scenes companion to the Emmy, WGA, SAG, Golden Globe, and BAFTA-Award nominated Disney+ series

The Art of Star Wars: Andor (The Complete Series) gives readers an exclusive inside look at the production art, visual development, concept art, creature designs and FX, graphics, props, and more that went into creating the Tony Gilroy helmed Disney+ series.

Through extensive interviews with Gilroy, star Diego Luna, and the talented Lucasfilm visualists, author Phil Szostak documents every step of Andor's production from discussions following the initial release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story up through post-production on the final episodes of season two.

With deep dives into the locations that defined the series, including Kenari, Ferrix, Aldhani, Narkina 5, Mina-Rau, Ghorman, and Yavin 4, among many others, this essential volume celebrates the legacy of all twenty-four critically acclaimed episodes and the hurdles the filmmakers, cast, and crew had to overcome to bring their vision to life.

Every facet and detail of the Rebellion and Empire's inner workings and the day-to-day existence within the world of Star Wars that Andor lovingly depicted are explored in great detail along with reflections on the series overall and its espionage roots and political relevance. The lived-in, battered costumes, ships, and locales that are so crucial to the DNA of Star Wars are on full display in this volume alongside the elegant formalism of the Galactic Senate and Coruscant.

Every piece of concept art--from ISB uniforms to Ferrix workwear to sleek speeders to the sterile prison cells of Narkina 5--has a tactility that leaps off the page. Cassian Andor's journey from thief to spy to rebel to martyr, and the stories of his allies, uneasy partnerships, Imperial schemes, and galactic revolution took audiences on an emotionally resonant adventure and The Art of Star Wars: Andor spotlights the exceptional work that made it all possible.

Join a little girl as she discovers the hidden world of her new octopus friend in this stunning wordless picture book by critically acclaimed author-illustrator Guojing.

A little girl goes to the beach with her mother, never expecting the day full of magic and wonder that is ahead of her. When she scoops up a tiny octopus in her small, clear container, and they see each other eye to eye, there's a spark between them! But a little octopus cannot be happy for long in a container. So the girl sets out to discover what the octopus needs. And that's when something truly magical happens! Soon, the little girl is on an underwater adventure with her new octopus friend, where she discovers the joy and beauty of the octopus's world and learns how she can help take care of the ocean in her own way.

A warm and authoritative guide to maternal mental health, offering real solutions, by popular online therapist Dr. Cassidy Freitas.

Motherhood is messy. Mom Needs a Moment is for the moms who find themselves losing their temper more than they'd like. Or shutting down when things feel too loud or too much. Or who are tired of snapping, spiraling, or second-guessing themselves ... and want to understand why this keeps happening, and how to change it. Dr. Cassidy invites mothers to see that much of what they carry didn't start with them, and that they have the power to choose what continues and what ends.

So how do we break the cycle? By finding what Dr. Cassidy calls margins: the spaces we can create (mental, emotional, physical, and relational) that allow us to respond differently. Margins help us catch ourselves in the moment, regulate our nervous systems, and make more intentional choices. They are where we pause, breathe, notice, soften, and shift.

Weaving together stories from her own messy motherhood moments with the tools she's gathered as a therapist, Dr. Cassidy shows how margins can help you feel less reactive, more connected, and more like yourself again.

An inspiring and practical guide to throwing parties where guests feel seen, cared for, and connected

Welcome to a new era of entertaining. Perfection is out, joy is in, and the only thing that matters is gathering with an open heart and a curious mind. And anyone--everyone!--can do it. Packed with inspiration, tips, lists, timelines, and recipes, Your Turn to Host is a complete party playbook with an attention to detail that could only come from a master event planner.

Whether hosting a birthday bash or an intimate dinner, a raucous game night, New Year's Eve party, or Friendsgiving potluck, Amber Mayfield Hewett shows you how to succeed, step-by-step and with confidence and ease, from planning a menu to putting together the ultimate playlist, sparking conversation to choosing a timeless party favor. She calls it the Anatomy of a Good Shindig, teaching you both the art and science of being the host with the most.

A kingdom at war. A girl with a gift. A destiny to be revealed.

Your new romantic fantasy obsession awaits in this captivating epic adventure ...

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'Plot twist galore ... perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, George R. R. Martin and Raven Kennedy' READER REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The sky is a dangerous place for a girl without wings.

In the war-torn kingdom of Lordach, Ezer has spent two years as the Ravenminder of Rendegard. Chained in a prison tower's aviary, she pays the debts of the man she calls uncle, who rescued her after shadow wolves killed her parents. With three glittering scars on her cheek and mystical 'strangeties' unlike any magic in their world, Ezer is haunted by dreams of her death at the hands of an unknown warrior.

Then a Sacred Knight arrives to recruit Ezer for the fight against the enemy, the Acolyte. When her affinity with birds reveals itself on the journey to the Citadel, she is given a new mission: to help the Prince of Lordach tame one of the Acolyte's captured raphons. Half giant raven, half black panther, these creatures are as loyal to the Acolyte as his strongest darksoul soldiers . . and only they can make the flight to infiltrate his lair.

While Ezer forges an unbreakable bond with the raphon, her heart becomes torn between the loyal Knight and the mysterious Prince. But as her dreams take on new clarity, she finds herself faced with a choice and a question: has the darkness been her destiny all along?

Modern society is plagued by health epidemics: obesity, record levels of loneliness, increasing mental health problems and various forms of addiction. From the outside, all these issues might not seem related. But a single phenomenon actually ties them all together: superstimuli.

Superstimuli are behaviours, objects and social cues that are exaggerated, unnatural versions of things we have evolved to want and need. This hard-wired evolutionary response is why we lust after airbrushed people online, binge on fake ultra processed food and struggle to stop scrolling on social media, even when it makes us feel bad.

This lack of control isn't because we are weak. It's because powerful companies spend billions creating superstimuli that manipulate our biology for profit, leaving us unhealthy and unhappy as a consequence.

In Super Stimulated, international bestselling author and scientist Nicklas Brendborg shows how we can resist this hijacking of our natural instincts, recognise superstimulus traps, and take control of our bad habits to live longer, healthier lives.

Brilliant, wise, humane, scientific, and kind. Beliefism is exactly what the doctor ordered - and it could change the world' Cass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard University

"Repeated throughout is the fine principle that whatever position you wish to argue on an issue, you must be honest about what bad effects, as well as good, will follow." Steven Poole, The Times

Beliefism (noun): Discrimination against people who disagree with us

Do you avoid people who are strongly against immigration? Or strongly for trans rights? Against abortion? For drug legalisation? We might like to think that we're tolerant, but many of us struggle to engage with people whose opinions differ strongly from our own-even if they might have something useful to contribute to the debate. That means we're falling victim to what behavioural scientist Professor Paul Dolan defines as Beliefism: discrimination against those with different beliefs to us.

Drawing on the evidence from across the social sciences, Dolan shows how easy it is for us to divide ourselves into opposing camps - and how harmful that can be. Using the central metaphor of the duck-rabbit illusion-where the same image can be viewed as one animal or the other-the book shows that looking at an issue from only one perspective can lead to bad decisions and unnecessary conflict. The world would be a better place if there was less beliefism and Dolan shows how more tolerance is only possible "by design". We need to embed less beliefism into our organisations and lives and he provides a checklist called EMBRACE to help us do that.

Combining curiosity, irreverence and warmth, Beliefism is a definitive behavioural science take by a leader in his field. Whether it's among friends, at university or at work, being less beliefist will make you a better partner or parent, and a more effective buddy or boss.