Join Andy in this Victorian Sci-Fi inspired tale set in the far away hills of a family orchard. His curiosity is kindled by hydro-turbines and a tidal-powered city where he attends school. Earth’s endless clean power drives his intellect; while the hills free his adventurous spirit. Susie, the cat, narrates as the watchful conscience to Andy. But, has Andy’s love of adventure taken him too far this time?
My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars
I had so much fun reading this book and enjoying the wonderful watercolor illustrations. The pictures were so bright and lovely. I enjoyed the sailing school bus. The story felt futuristic. All readers will truly love this fun adventuris story.
Coined as the “queen of British historical fiction,” Philippa Gregory returns to the infamous Tudor Court with a tale that is both timely and timeless. We invite you to sit down with us for an intriguing conversation with Gregory about her newest novel Boleyn Traitor (forthcoming October 14, 2025).
Jane Boleyn watches from the shadows of the Tudor Court, where secrets are currency, every choice is dangerous, and even the faintest whisper can seal the fate of queens.
For Jane, survival demands playing every role required of her: a loving wife who conceals her doubts, a devoted sister to Anne Boleyn at the height of her power, and an obedient spy who carefully wields her words. But in a court ruled by ambition and a tyrant’s sword, Jane must rely on her sharp wit and skillful maneuvering to outthink those around her, knowing that one wrong move could cost her everything.
With a rich tapestry of new historical insights and lyrical language honed over decades of writing, Gregory’s return to the Tudors is a new definition of this most fascinating era. As the world becomes more extreme and unpredictable, Jane’s story of survival and ingenuity offers a
compelling parallel, serving as both a powerful historical narrative and an echo of the challenges we face. This is a riveting tale of loyalty and betrayal, ambition and love—one that should not be missed by readers this fall.
Register today for this exciting glimpse into the perilous 16th century royal court!
About the Author: Dr. Philippa Gregory is one of the world’s foremost historical novelists. She wrote her first ever novel, Wideacre, when she was completing her PhD in eighteenth-century literature and it sold worldwide, heralding a new era for historical fiction. Her flair for blending history and imagination developed into a signature style and Philippa went on to write many bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen.
Dr. Gregory studied history at the University of Sussex and was awarded a PhD by the University of Edinburgh where she is a Regent and was made Alumna of the Year in 2009. She holds an honorary degree from Teesside University, and is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff. Philippa is a member of the Society of Authors and in 2016, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction Award by the Historical Writers’ Association. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Platinum Award by Neilsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire book output. In 2021, she was awarded a CBE for services to literature and to her charity Gardens for the Gambia, and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
Exploring 19th-century haunted house tropes, this talk examines how gender, race, and class shape Gothic themes in literature and home life.
Date and time Thursday, October 16 · 6 – 7pm EDT Location Online
About this event Community • Historic This virtual lecture will interrogate 19th century notions of ‘the haunted house’ through reading literary text alongside archival material, in an effort to examine where ‘domestic’ culture and ‘domesticity’ were happening tangibly in the home, begging us to consider broader social interactions around gender, race, and class as intrinsic to the Gothic trope we all know so well!
Lawrence Lorraine Mullen holds a PhD in English with a minor in cultural studies from the University at Buffalo and a Masters of Library and Information Science, with a specialization in Archives and Records Management. Their doctoral dissertation triangulated mid-nineteenth century architectural blueprints and American house pattern books, haunted house narratives, and theories of domesticity and domestic space. They were a 2022 Historic Hudson Valley Women’s History Summer Research Fellow and a 2023 American Antiquarian Society Equity Access Fellow.
If you love Twilight, then you need to purchase this anniversary edition. It comes in a beautiful slipcase, golden edges, and surprise images.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of the genre-defining tale, this vintage-inspired collector’s edition features:
Foil-stamped slipcase Stunning new cover with lush, romantic artwork New interior art and beautifully illustrated endpapers Elegant ribbon marker One-of-a-kind, interactive, gilded-edge design
Jan Brett’s beloved character the Gingerbread Baby returns in a fun-filled Christmas caper!
Gingerbread Baby and his friend, Matti, take his gingerbread band to the Christmas Festival where they are a hit! That is until the aroma of gingerbread reaches the children, making them hungry.
That means it is time to run away. Clever Matti uses snow to disguise the gingerbread instruments while Gingerbread Baby leads the audience on a merry chase to the smartest hiding place ever–a giant Christmas tree.
My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars
A book that brings joy and cheers to all who read. You might want to bring your own gingerbread to eat, or you might just have to catch the gingerbread baby, only if you can catch him. The illustrations are fascinating and filled with old-fashioned Christmases in Switzerland. I loved the vivid colors and images that made this story one to remember.
Goodreads Author Biography
With over thirty three million books in print, Jan Brett is one of the nation’s foremost author illustrators of children’s books. Jan lives in a seacoast town in Massachusetts, close to where she grew up. During the summer her family moves to a home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.
As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. She says, “I remember the special quiet of rainy days when I felt that I could enter the pages of my beautiful picture books. Now I try to recreate that feeling of believing that the imaginary place I’m drawing really exists. The detail in my work helps to convince me, and I hope others as well, that such places might be real.” As a student at the Boston Museum School, she spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts. “It was overwhelming to see the room-size landscapes and towering stone sculptures, and then moments later to refocus on delicately embroidered kimonos and ancient porcelain,” she says. “I’m delighted and surprised when fragments of these beautiful images come back to me in my painting.”
Travel is also a constant inspiration. Together with her husband, Joe Hearne, who is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Jan visits many different countries where she researches the architecture and costumes that appear in her work. “From cave paintings to Norwegian sleighs, to Japanese gardens, I study the traditions of the many countries I visit and use them as a starting point for my children’s books.” –from http://www.janbrett.com
You are invited to join us online and be one of the first to hear from Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai about her astonishing memoir, Finding My Way. Malala reintroduces herself to the world, sharing how she navigated life as someone whose darkest moments threatened to define her narrative—while seeking the freedom to find out who she truly is.
Thrust onto the public stage at fifteen years old after the Taliban’s brutal attack on her life, Malala Yousafzai quickly became an international icon known for bravery and resilience. But away from the cameras and crowds, she spent years struggling to find her place in an unfamiliar world. Finding My Way is a story of friendship and first love, of anxiety and self-discovery, of trying to stay true to yourself when everyone wants to tell you who you are. In it, Malala traces her path from high school loner to reckless college student to a young woman at peace with her past. Through candid, often messy moments like nearly failing exams, getting ghosted, and meeting the love of her life, Malala reminds us that real role models aren’t perfect—they’re human.
Finding My Way is a vulnerable, surprising memoir that buzzes with authenticity, sharp humor, and tenderness. It is an intimate look at the life of a young woman taking charge of her destiny and is a deeply personal testament to the strength it takes to be unapologetically yourself. Register now for an online conversation you cannot miss!
About the Author: Malala Yousafzai is an education activist, the youngest-ever Nobel laureate, bestselling author, and award-winning film producer. She was born in Mingora, Pakistan, in 1997 and graduated from Oxford University in 2020.
Since publishing in 2015, Leigh Bardugo’s highly popular Six of Crows has taken the world of YA literature by storm–and it’s not hard to see why. The complex fantasy setting, thoughtfully-structured magic system, and deliciously morally gray characters all collide in a world you won’t want to leave and you don’t have to! Join us as we pick the brain of the New York Times bestselling author herself, celebrating the release of her Six of Crows (The Dregs Edition).
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .
A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.
In celebration of its decade-old status, the duology will be rereleased in special Dregs Edition paperback copies featuring beautiful new cover art by Harol Bustos, black stained edges, and updated maps. Whether you’re a new reader or a loyal fan, register today to take part in the adventure!
About the Author: Leigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Familiar, Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles and is an associate fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University.
“And I thought you were my savior in my darkest hour. How very wrong I was.”
1794: Devastated by the violent disappearance of her husband, Charles Sharpe, Eliza struggles to save Pleasant Hall from the hands of crooked creditors and the governor’s greed. In the aftermath of the attack, her husband’s enemies have branded him a traitor and declare him dead.
But an unlikely source carries knowledge that he still lives, and he alone knows who has taken Charles. Eliza’s desperation drives her to form an alliance with the king of the underworld himself: Captain Hiram Bruin, a notorious man who is more pirate than privateer.
Eliza’s death has been ordered by Lord Dunmore, and Bruin himself tasked with the deed. But Hiram Bruin has never been a man to follow orders. He offers her passage on his ship, the Fortuyne, and his personal protection. In her hour of distress, Eliza accepts—for she has no other choice.
Bruin takes Eliza on a wild and dangerous voyage from the island of New Providence to the wild and untamed Saba, and finally to England, where her journey started three years ago.
Eliza endures her new sinister reality, one where death creeps ever closer, and quickly learns that the only monsters at sea are men. Ensnared by the salt air and damning secrets, one thing is startlingly clear: Bruin wants to take everything she holds dear. For the roots of revenge lie deep…
Will Eliza be able to save the life of her husband before it’s too late? What price is she willing to pay for his freedom? And can she escape this unimaginable nightmare, fueled by a man of unspeakable cruelty?
Color of Fire is the dark, thrilling conclusion to Gina Giordano’s sweeping historical epic, the Strange Eden Trilogy.
AUTHOR BIO:
Gina Giordano always had an insatiable curiosity and a penchant for history. Born in New York City, she is a writer, artist, and a conjurer of the past. She holds a BA in history and a master’s degree in historical fiction from New York University, and has traveled to over fifty-five countries across the globe. When she is not climbing ancient ruins or exploring forgotten palaces, she enjoys swimming with sharks in remote pristine waters. Her debut novel, STRANGE EDEN, was longlisted for the 2023 Bath Novel Award.
To sign up for exciting news and to find out more about the author follow her on Instagram @ginagiordanobooks.
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