Kafka wants to clean up kaiju, but not literally! Will a sudden metamorphosis stand in the way of his dream? With the highest kaiju-emergence rates in the world, Japan is no stranger to attack by deadly monsters. Enter the Japan Defense Force, a military organization tasked with the neutralization of kaiju. Kafka Hibino, a kaiju-corpse cleanup man, has always dreamed of joining the force. But when he gets another shot at achieving his childhood dream, he undergoes an unexpected transformation. How can he fight kaiju now that he's become one himself?! Kafka hopes to one day keep his pact with his childhood friend Mina to join the Japan Defense Force and fight by her side. But while she's out neutralizing kaiju as Third Division captain, Kafka is stuck cleaning up the aftermath of her battles. When a sudden rule change makes Kafka eligible for the Defense Force, he decides to try out for the squad once more. There's just one problem-he's made the Defense Force's neutralization list under the code name Kaiju No. 8.

A visit to the tengu village goes awry when Hime’s jealous ex-fiancé shows up, and an excursion into the human world gets complicated when Kotarou’s friend falls head over heels in love with Hime! Kotarou’s gonna have his hands full, swatting away those annoyances so he can keep…Hime…all to…himself…? Wait a minute, I think he might want her to stay!

My love for him felt so total and so annihilating that it was often impossible for me to see him clearly at all.

Years ago, Sukie moved in with Nathan because her mother was dead and her father was difficult, and she had nowhere else to go. Now they are on the brink of the inevitable.

Sally Rooney is one of the most acclaimed young talents of recent years. With her minute attention to the power dynamics in everyday speech, she builds up sexual tension and throws a deceptively low-key glance at love and death.

The masterful, Pulitzer Prize-winning literary epic about the painful and complex realities of slave life on a Southern plantation. An utterly original exploration of race, trust and the cruel truths of human nature, this is a landmark in modern American literature.

Henry Townsend, previously enslaved and now a farmer and bootmaker, is one of the few Black masters in the South. Mentored by William Robbins, one of the most powerful men in Manchester County, Virginia, Townsend has built his plantation with ambition and discipline, while grappling with his place in a society defined by racial oppression.

When Townsend dies unexpectedly, the established order falls into disarray. As disruption reverberates throughout the community, a series of events uncovers an intricate web of relationships, power imbalances and betrayals.

An astonishing literary epic exploring race, trust and the cruel truths of human nature, Edward P. Jones ’ Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Known World is a landmark in modern American literature

'All his stories are amusing, intriguing, and he is a master of the final twist' - Agatha Christie'One of the most stunning trick stories in the history of detective fiction' - Julian SymonsGraham and Joan Bendix have apparently succeeded in making that eighth wonder of the modern world, a happy marriage. And into the middle of it there drops, like a clap of thunder, a box of chocolates.Joan Bendix is killed by a poisoned box of liqueur chocolates that cannot have been intended for her to eat. The police investigation rapidly reaches a dead end. Chief Inspector Moresby calls on Roger Sheringham and his Crimes Circle - six amateur but intrepid detectives - to consider the case. The evidence is laid before the Circle and the members take it in turn to offer a solution. Each is more convincing than the last, slowly filling in the pieces of the puzzle, until the dazzling conclusion.

An NPR Best Book of 2021 NYPL 10 Best Books for Adults, 2021 A story collection, in the vein of Carmen Maria Machado, Kelly Link, and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, spanning worlds and dimensions, using strange and speculative elements to tackle issues ranging from class differences to immigration to first-generation experiences to xenophobia What does it mean to be other? What does it mean to love in a world determined to keep us apart? These questions murmur in the heart of each of Brenda Peynado's strange and singular stories. Threaded with magic, transcending time and place, these stories explore what it means to cross borders and break down walls, personally and politically. In one story, suburban families perform oblations to cattlelike angels who live on their roofs, believing that their "thoughts and prayers" will protect them from the world's violence. In another, inhabitants of an unnamed dictatorship slowly lose their own agency as pieces of their bodies go missing and, with them, the essential rights that those appendages serve. "The Great Escape" tells of an old woman who hides away in her apartment, reliving the past among beautiful objects she's hoarded, refusing all visitors, until she disappears completely. In the title story, children begin to levitate, flying away from their parents and their home country, leading them to eat rocks in order to stay grounded. With elements of science fiction and fantasy, fabulism and magical realism, Brenda Peynado uses her stories to reflect our flawed world, and the incredible, terrifying, and marvelous nature of humanity.

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics. 'Big Brother is Watching You.' Winston Smith rewrites history. It's his job. Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, he helps the Party, and the omnipresent Big Brother, control the people of Oceania. But the notebook he's begun to write in is against the rules - in fact, the Thought Police could arrest him simply for having it. Despite the danger, a seed of rebellion has begun to grow in Winston's heart - one that could have devastating consequences. In George Orwell's final novel, he explores a dystopian future in which a totalitarian government controls the actions, thoughts and even emotions of its citizens. Its lasting popularity is testament to Orwell's powerful prose, and is a passionate warning for today.

A cat with attitude, green-fingered garden gnomes, a Roman helmet and two fiercely protective ghosts feature in this delightful anthology. Each tale has been written to accompany a cup of tea and a biscuit, whilst pleasantly disorientating the reader and challenging what they believe to be 'real' for a few moments. When finished, the book will be lovingly replaced on the coffee table leaving the reader smiling to themselves and wondering, 'could that actually happen?'

Kill some time with former hit man Taro Sakamoto! Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He's now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?! Shin faces off with a strange assassin who's targeting Mr. Sakamoto, but how will he manage against a foe whose thoughts are unreadable? Then, the Sakamoto gang does their best to enjoy a peaceful family outing at the amusement park, only to be rudely interrupted by a pair of menacing assassins. Can Mr. Sakamoto and his buddies take care of them without his family noticing?

Knowing beforehand, events past and present without having any prior knowledge can, at times be a disadvantage in some respects and a blessing to be able to see beyond the five physical senses in some others. Not forgetting future events which haven't manifested into the material world can also be predicted by a good medium/clairvoyant - some people have the gift of knowing - intuition and an awareness appears to be a built-in mechanism. Some say it is passed on from a previous life, providing you believe in reincarnation, a third of the world's population believe in this phenomenon - mostly in the Middle- and Far-eastern countries. In some instances you don't have to be with a person to know about their past, present and future events. This doesn't alter my physical condition. I still have heart failure, renal failure and Parkinson's Disease. I appear to be ticking over on medication.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

An action-packed comedy about a fake family that includes a spy, an assassin and a telepath! Master spy Twilight is unparalleled when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions for the betterment of the world. But when he receives the ultimate assignment-to get married and have a kid-he may finally be in over his head! Yor is assigned to be bodyguard to a mafia family on a cruise ship by the secret organization Garden. But with Lloyd and Anya also on board thanks to a giveaway they won, Yor is starting to have doubts about her secret life as an assassin...

Full Circle is a collection of unusual and intriguing short stories with a twist in the tale. They place ordinary people into unintended circumstances outside their usual comfort zone with unexpected consequences. Humour, greed and sadness are the driving human characteristics that run through the thread of each story.

Nine spine-tingling stories from the creator of Sherlock Holmes Mournful cries in an ice-bound sea, a potion that allows the user to commune with ghosts, an Egyptian priest who cannot die, and a mesmerist of unrivaled power. Brace yourself for these and other chilling encounters in The Parasite and Other Tales of Terror. Even before he created Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle terrified and delighted readers with tales of suspense, haunted by mysterious forces that defy rational explanation. These stories capture the unique draw of the uncanny and the curiosity that compels us all to ask, "Could it be true?" Presented by the Horror Writers Association, and introduced by award-winning author Daniel Stashower, this collection illuminates Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's talent for the macabre and the supernatural. The Parasite and the other stories in this collection showcase Conan Doyle at his most inventive, sure to entertain both new readers and his most dedicated fans.

High school girl Erika may be on Kyoya's leash, but she's determined to break free and unleash his heart! Fed up with her friends' constant bragging about their boyfriends, high school student Erika Shinohara decides to make up a relationship of her own. When her lie starts unraveling at the seams, her charming schoolmate Kyoya Sata agrees to be her pretend boyfriend, seemingly saving her reputation. She won't get off that easy, however, as she soon discovers her white knight is actually a blackhearted prince! Now Erika must be at his beck and call or risk her lie being exposed. But is Kyoya really as blackhearted as he seems? Erika's heart is aflutter after seeing a side of Kyoya that she's never experienced before. But if she confesses her love to the coldhearted prince, she risks destroying everything they've built. Plus, she has no idea if Kyoya feels the same way. But there's one thing for certain-his sadistic side remains in top form!

Many of these stories are based on real events, and the author's own experiences - such as a visit to the Morteratsch Glacier in Switzerland with her sister in l966, which inspired "Murder in the Mountains". An organised coach trip through Austria in 2006 with her husband and several curious characters is faithfully recorded in "An Austrian Adventure", but with all the names changed. In the story "Jennie's Oak" this old tree existed in Hazelbadge Fields in Poynton, Cheshire where Carol and her family lived for twenty years. "Bedside Matters" was a painful recollection of the author's stay in Maccles - field hospital. "The Speaker for Tonight..." was gleaned from many talks given by the author to various organisations over several years and is apologetically accurate. Many of the shorter stories grew out of suggested titles given during Creative Writing classes, and projects for homework. This collection follows "Soap In My Eyes", 2005, memories of her career in television, which is still available to order. "DiVerse Re flections" published in 2012; "From Bottisham to Barcombe", a childhood journey through the second world war; "Stage Right", sketches and monologues for ladies; "Simply Stage Struck", the art of acting for amateurs, are all available from Fast-Print Publishers. In 2011, Carol wrote "The Cob Story", published privately in Porthmadog for the U3A, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the building of the great embankment.