Showing results by narrator "Sofia Zervudachi" in All Categories

In this deliciously strange debut collection, Leon Craig draws on folklore and gothic horror in refreshingly inventive ways to explore queer identity, love, power and the complicated nature of being human. In the 13 darkly audacious stories of Parallel Hells, we meet a golem, made of clay, learning that its powers far exceed its Creator's expectations; a ruined mansion which grants the secret wishes of a group of revellers and a notorious murderer who discovers her Viking husband is not what he seems.

Zoey doesn't remember anything about last night. But she knows something went badly wrong. For she is no longer in New York. She's woken up in the desert, in a white building she doesn't recognise, and she's alone. When she discovers she's been admitted to The Sanctuary, a discreet, mysterious, isolated refuge from normal life, to avoid jail, she is stunned. She knows she has secrets, troubles, but she thought she had everything under control. But as she spends more time with other residents, she begins to open up about what she's running from.

Eighteen-year-old Jean is stuck. She works in a dead-end job, her life dictated by the whims of her uncaring father, and no boy has ever even noticed her. So, when the glamorous racing driver Vivienne and her rakish husband Robert invite her to travel to Greece with them as a navigator for the summer, she jumps at the chance. Riding around with the fastest woman in Europe, sampling endless local ouzo, and dancing late into the night at the hottest parties has given Jean a taste of a life she could only have dreamed of . . .

Will I have the chance to explain to little Erin why I had to go? Even if I do find the strength to return, what will my mother have told her? Only one person really knows what happened and why I had to do what I did. I know the truth will come out some day. I don’t expect forgiveness. The only thing I hope is that my family can survive the fallout....

New girl, new school, new life on stupid island - thanks Mum. All Jessie Jones wants is to keep her head down, avoid school douchebag Callum Henderson and coast - middle-of-the-road-like. But when strange powers start to manifest during crippling period pains, flying under the radar seems highly unlikely. Can Jessie embrace her new-found witchiness, control her erratic powers and work out a way to bring down Callum and his cult of toxic masculinity?

Chrissie has always wanted to be a mother. After months of trying to adopt, she and her husband Stuart finally get the news that a little girl named Sunshine is waiting for them. The child comes to them without a history, and it feels like a fresh start for all of them. But when fragments from Sunshine's previous life start to intrude on her new one, the little girl's mysterious past quickly becomes Chrissie's greatest fear.

Paris, 1941. As we drive down the cobbled street, I take in the red banners with swastikas covering every building. Suddenly, a group of guards appears. I duck beneath the window of the car, and my heart thumps as my hand jumps to my chest. But I’m not wearing my yellow star now, I left it with my sister. Tears well in my eyes. Will I ever see her again?

After ending her engagement, a woman decides to go on a much-needed getaway with her friends to clear her head—but she soon realizes her secret may be the one thing she can’t get away from. “A twisty, tense and claustrophobic tale of secrets, manipulation and soured relationships. I loved...

A woman's body is found in a river just outside of Lisbon. Inspectors Isabel Reis and Aleksandr Voronov identify the murder victim as Marta Nunes—a youth centre worker who, like Isabel, classifies as Gifted. Born with special abilities, the Gifted are often looked at with a certain level of suspicion. In the search for her killer, Reis digs into Marta's past. She soon discovers that she is connected to a number of missing women. All young, all telepathic Gifted, all vanished off the face of the earth. 

One year ago, Leah's feisty 21-year-old niece, Amy, mysteriously drowned near her family-owned luxury resort on the shores of Lake Garda. Now, Leah is returning to Italy for the first time since Amy's death. But what she finds upon her arrival shocks her: her sister, brother-in-law and surviving niece, Olivia, seem to have erased all memories of Amy and insist her death was an accidental drowning, despite murky circumstances. Leah knows she must look beyond the resort's beautiful façade if she is to uncover the truth of that night.

Eurovision is always the highlight of Millie's year. So when she and her best friend James get the chance to see the final live in Oslo, it's a dream come true - until they get swept up the excitement and try to break backstage, along with carefree German singer Ingrid and charismatic Australian backpacker, Noah. Getting thrown out of the stadium wasn't exactly the plan, but it might just spark the friendship - and the pact - of a lifetime. The four of them are going to reunite for every final, every year, every Eurovision.

All I’ve ever wanted is to be a mother. And as soon as I looked into the beautiful, bright blue eyes of this baby tucked in her blanket, my world felt complete. Stepping into the cold air outside of the hospital doors, a shiver runs through me. I know my life will never be the same again. I slip off her little white medical bracelet and put it in the pocket of my jeans. I think of the woman upstairs in the hospital room who will soon return and find her child gone. I hesitate. Am I doing the right thing?

As a firefighter, Ava sees the devastation caused when homes are ruined. If she uncovers precious possessions that escaped a blaze unscathed, she returns them to their owner. When Cassie and her son lose everything in a fire, they have nothing and nowhere to go. On impulse, Ava offers them refuge by staying with her. After three failed rounds of IVF, Ava and her husband are divided on how to start their own family. Needing to find answers about her own adoption and birth family, Ava embarks on a journey to Ireland with Cassie by her side for support.

Everyone gives their friends advice when it comes to dating, but what happens when it all goes wrong? 'You can't put it down once you've started it!' NETGALLEY REVIEWER ____________________________________ Eve doesn't have time for dating, but having watched her best friend and flatmate have her...

Nina's life has officially been torn apart. Living back home with her dad, Theo, Nina is persuaded to spend the summer on Kefalonia, the Greek island where he grew up. She can take some time to recover, as well as help renovate the property her dad's bought - in the hopes of selling it on to a major hotel chain. The community might be warm and welcoming, but life here is anything but simple. Nina's holiday romance with the hot builder rocks her trust all over again.

In the Gare do Oriente, a body sits, slumped, in a stationary train. A high-profile man appears to have died by throwing himself repeatedly against the glass. But according to witnesses, he may not have done this of his own accord. Lisbon 2021. A small percentage of the population are diagnosed as Gifted. Along with the power comes stigma and suspicion. In a prejudiced city, Gifted Inspector Isabel Reis is hiding her own secrets while putting her life on the line to stop an ingenious killer.

When Detective Lexi Bennett is called to the scene, what she sees makes her heart clench. A young woman in angel wings lies dead, her eyes still fixed on her sobbing child. What kind of monster would leave a baby motherless and alone in the dark? Lexi promises herself she will catch the brutal killer who stole Bethany’s future. The body was found in the caves beneath Elvington vineyard. At first Lexi can find no connection with Bethany...until the owner reveals he is the father of her child. Could he have killed her to claim custody? Or did his jealous wife murder her rival?

The day that changes Lucy's life starts in the worst way possible when she is abruptly fired from her job. Drowning her sorrows in a nearby bar, Lucy spots her ex-boyfriend Max walking past outside. Should she stay where she is and ignore him, or should she step outside and say hello? Everything hinges on the outcome of this one decision. In two storylines, we see what happens when Lucy follows both her head and her heart, and how the ripples from this moment change her whole life.

HellSans is set in a fictional UK, where HellSans is a ubiquitous typeface, enforced by the government in all communications and in all public spaces. It is the ultimate control device. The majority of the population experience bliss when they see the typeface, but there’s a minority who are allergic to it. The HellSans Allergic (HSAs) are persecuted, and live on the streets or in a ghetto on the outskirts of the capital city.

She wants to learn everything – about you. Mel has practised law for twenty years. She is well-regarded by her peers. Her clients are happy. But behind the scenes her life is disordered. Her son grows increasingly distant from her. The married man she is sleeping with fails to give her what she needs. When a trainee lawyer is allocated to Mel it is poor timing. The last thing she wants is a pupil watching her every move. And Natasha does watch. She sees each detail – and every mistake. Mel cannot shake the feeling that Natasha isn't just learning the job. She is learning Mel.