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The Stylist Takes Manhattan: A Novel (The Amber Green Series #2)
by Rosie NixonPraise for The Stylist: “A hilarious vicarious red carpet romp.” — People“A master of slapstick comedy, Nixon keeps the pace fast and the tone bubbly... Nixon deftly crafts a Cinderella story for the millennial age in which our heroine finds not only her prince, but also her true friends. Glossy and teeming with influencers and fashionistas, this is a charming novel.” — Kirkus Reviews“No sophomore slump for Nixon; the second in the series is just as good as the first, and readers who fell for the first installment will do the same with this one. Bringing back her beloved characters and introducing new ones, Nixon depicts the glamorous and sometimes not-so-glamorous behind-the-scenes workings of New York City’s fashion industry, from botched baby photo shoots to secret “bag lady” drops.” — Library Journal
The Stylist: A Novel (The Amber Green Series #1)
by Rosie NixonIn the tradition of The Devil Wears Prada comes Rosie Nixon's debut novel, which follows a young woman who is thrown into the fast-paced world of fashion and glamour as she’s forced to navigate the treacherous Hollywood red carpets…while finding a fairytale love of her own.“A stylish, fun read, I absolutely loved it!”—Jackie CollinsAmber Green loves working at Smith’s, London’s ultra-exclusive boutique frequented by everyone who’s anyone, including Mona Armstrong, the stylist to the stars. She is fierce, demanding, and can make or break a career with a snap of her manicured nails. When Mona’s latest assistant walks out and with awards season arriving faster than you can say “Rodeo Drive”, Amber finds herself agreeing to work for one of the most infamous—and volatile—women in Hollywood. And the stars aren’t much better. Amber’s life is turned inside out as she becomes familiar with all Hollywood has to offer, on and off the red carpet. As she begins to enjoy life in the dressing rooms of the hottest stars, Amber discovers she’s the one in the spotlight when she catches the attention of two very different men. But Mona’s behavior is growing increasingly erratic and unless Amber can out-style everyone in Hollywood, she’s in danger of being Mona’s latest fashion victim.
The Subject Steve: A Novel
by Sam LipsyteThe dazzling debut novel from the author of The Ask and Home Land, Sam Lipsyte's The Subject Steve is by turns manic, ebullient, and exquisitely deadpan—and belongs in the company with the master American satirists.Meet Steve (not his real name), a Special Case, in truth, a Terminal Case, and the eponymous antihero of Lipsyte's first novel. Steve has been informed by two doctors that he is dying of a condition of unquestioned fatality, with no discernible physical cause. Eager for fame, and to brand the new plague, they dub it Goldfarb-Blackstone Preparatory Extinction Syndrome, or PREXIS for short. Turns out, though, Steve's just dying of boredom.
The Subprimes: A Novel
by Karl Taro GreenfeldA wickedly funny dystopian parody set in a financially apocalyptic future America, from the critically acclaimed author of Triburbia.In a future America that feels increasingly familiar, you are your credit score. Extreme wealth inequality has created a class of have-nothings: Subprimes. Their bad credit ratings make them unemployable. Jobless and without assets, they’ve walked out on mortgages, been foreclosed upon, or can no longer afford a fixed address. Fugitives who must keep moving to avoid arrest, they wander the globally warmed American wasteland searching for day labor and a place to park their battered SUVs for the night.Karl Taro Greenfeld’s trenchant satire follows the fortunes of two families whose lives reflect this new dog-eat-dog, survival-of-the-financially-fittest America. Desperate for work and food, a Subprime family has been forced to migrate east, hoping for a better life. They are soon joined in their odyssey by a writer and his family—slightly better off, yet falling fast. Eventually, they discover a small settlement of Subprimes who have begun an agrarian utopia built on a foreclosed exurb. Soon, though, the little stability they have is threatened when their land is targeted by job creators for shale oil extraction.But all is not lost. A hero emerges, a woman on a motorcycle—suspiciously lacking a credit score—who just may save the world.In The Subprimes, Karl Taro Greenfeld turns his keen and unflinching eye to our country today—and where we may be headed. The result is a novel for the 99 percent: a darkly funny comedy about paradise lost and found, the value of credit, economic policy, and the meaning of family.
The Substitute Teacher from the Black Lagoon (Black Lagoon Adventures)
by Mike ThalerIt's another scary day at the Black Lagoon. . . .Mrs. Green is out sick and Hubie's class is going to have a sub! The students are ready to party all day...until they meet Mr. Frank N. Stein! Join Hubie once again as he faces his comically horrific fears during his first class with a substitute teacher. Featuring a nine-foot-tall teacher who crashes through walls and hurls students into outer space, this story is sure to amuse and quell fears of new experiences at the same time!
The Substitution Order: A novel
by Martin ClarkFrom Martin Clark--praised by Entertainment Weekly as "our best legal-thriller writer"--comes a wickedly clever, tenderhearted, and intricately plotted novel about a hard-luck lawyer's refusal to concede defeat, even as fate, the court system, and a gang of untouchable con artists conspire against him.Kevin Moore, once a high-flying Virginia attorney, hits rock bottom after an inexplicably tumultuous summer leaves him disbarred and separated from his wife. Short on cash and looking for work, he lands in the middle of nowhere with a job at SUBstitution, the world's saddest sandwich shop. His closest confidants: a rambunctious rescue puppy and the twenty-year-old computer whiz manning the restaurant counter beside him. He's determined to set his life right again, but the troubles keep coming. And when a bizarre, mysterious stranger wanders into the shop armed with a threatening "invitation" to join a multimillion-dollar scam, Kevin will need every bit of his legal savvy just to stay out of prison. A remarkable tour of the law's tricks and hidden trapdoors, The Substitution Order is both wise and ingenious, a wildly entertaining novel that will keep you guessing--and rooting for its tenacious hero--until the very last page.
The Subterranean Season: A Novel of Bottomless Horrors
by Dale BaileyA disgruntled grad student finds a way to get rid of his problems in this &“creepy, satiric twist on the campus novel&” with an &“utterly chilling ending&” (Publishers Weekly).An International Horror Guild and Shirley Jackson Award–Winning Author and a Bram Stoker Award Nominee Massive crowds of adoring fans gather at West Georgia University&’s football stadium every Saturday to see the mighty Fighting Bobcats. Underneath the stadium, in a dingy office, PhD student Alex Kern toils away, grading undergrads&’ papers, struggling to pass his own classes, and bemoaning his crumbling romantic relationship. Then one day, he discovers a strange, seemingly bottomless hole. When Alex throws a rock into it, he can&’t hear it land. And before long, he throws something else into it: a very annoying student. But nothing happens. No missing-person alerts. No investigations. Alex then disposes of a world-renowned Ezra Pound scholar. Still nothing. Everything appears to be fine. Until he makes the mistake of dropping the Fighting Bobcats&’ star quarterback down the hole . . . &“Takes on every aspect of campus life with razor-sharp glee, especially the all-too-common elevation of sports over academics, and the unforgiving hierarchy of academia. Alex&’s metamorphosis, from basically decent to completely unhinged, is both terrifying and fascinating.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Subtle Art of Fart Remarks: Clever Things to Say When You Fart (Illustrated Bathroom)
by Bree KingwindCut through the embarrassment when you cut the cheese with this illustrated collection of jokes, quips, and funny comments.Everybody farts! But nobody knows what to say when it happens . . . until now! It’s inevitable. There will come a time when you just can’t hold it in any longer. And then, a fart. You’ve been there before and you will be there again. But what can you do in that situation? How can you break the awkward silence and move on with life? Cover it up? Look for someone to blame? Take responsibility for it and face the music? This cute and funny gift book explores over 100 potential fart remarks that are sure to bring the right amount of humor to a variety of fart filled circumstances. Whether you’re sitting in the bathroom stall, driving in the car, or working in the office, this book provided a colossal collection of clever comments that are sure to clear the air.
The Suburban You: Reports from the Home Front
by Mark FalangaYou are about to discover that living in the suburbs is a whole lot funnier than you ever thought possible. For this country’s 145,892,494 (give or take) suburbanites, Mark Falanga is an utterly deadpan (and thoroughly entertaining) spokesman.Mark Falanga is a slick urban dweller, at the top of his game professionally, with a gorgeous corporate executive wife and a hip coterie in the coolest neighborhood in the city. But when baby makes three, Mark and his family enter the twilight zone called the suburbs, where public schools are good, many wives stay home, and children ride their tricycles in the driveway. Nothing is the same ever again.With the dry wit of David Sedaris, and Dave Barry’s love of the absurd, Falanga details his new, suburban landscape from the point of view of a bewildered but gung-ho everyman. From the complex political pecking order in the neighborhood, with its ultracompetitive block parties and its consuming holiday-card rivalry, to the surprises lurking on every corner—such as the twelve-year-old pyromaniac next door and the suspiciously broad-shouldered “lady” on the commuter train—The Suburban You describes in slyly understated prose the vicissitudes of life in the ’burbs.
The Sugar Frosted Nutsack: A Novel
by Mark LeynerHigh above the bustling streets of Dubai, in the world's tallest and most luxurious skyscraper, reside the gods and goddesses of the modern world. Since they emerged 14 billion years ago from a bus blaring a tune remarkably similar to the Mister Softee jingle, they've wreaked mischief and havoc on mankind. Unable to control their jealousies, the gods have splintered into several factions, led by the immortal enemies XOXO, Shanice, La Felina, Fast-Cooking Ali, and Mogul Magoo. Ike Karton, an unemployed butcher from New Jersey, is their current obsession.Ritualistically recited by a cast of drug-addled bards, THE SUGAR FROSTED NUTSACK is Ike's epic story. A raucous tale of gods and men confronting lust, ambition, death, and the eternal verities, it is a wildly fun, wickedly fast gambol through the unmapped corridors of the imagination.
The Sugar Thief: A novel
by Nancy MauroA delectable comedy about an imploding social media star, an Italian bakery, the treachery of fame, and the pink-frosted pastry at the heart of it all.YouTuber Sabine Rose is a star about to go supernova. Her baking channel attracts millions, her production team agonizingly crafts her every moment, and her agent has nearly landed her a television series. But Sabine&’s rise to superstardom needs a final push, and she has the perfect idea to get herself there: a well-documented visit home to her family&’s bakery.When Sabine and her chronically underappreciated producer, Wanda, arrive in Thunder Bay, the planned family reunion is quickly lost in chaos (and, as Wanda sees it, social media opportunity). Sabine&’s father, the Rose family master baker, has just died. And he&’s left behind a locked briefcase containing the secret pastry recipe that has made him a hometown legend.On the cusp of going viral, Sabine finds herself unlocking the dark truths of her father&’s past. Self-medicating one glass—and one handful of pharma-ceuticals—at a time, can she drag her fledgling celebrity into the big leagues before ever-loyal Wanda, sensing betrayal, turns the tables on her? Will the popular pastry and the family secrets it holds fall into the wrong hands? Or will it provide the salvation Sabine so badly needs?Piped full of heartache and told with razor wit, The Sugar Thief is a skewering of contemporary narcissism and an ode to families that leave (almost) everything behind in search of a brighter future.
The Sugar and Spice Bakery
by Jules StanbridgeWhen Maddy loses her high-paying city job, her instant reaction is blind panic. But after the 'drowning her sorrows' hangover has cleared, she realises that this is an opportunity to change her life and do what she loves best: baking cakes. And so she sets up her own cake company, embracing the highs and lows of getting a new business off the ground, while looking for love along the way.
The Suitcase Swap
by Lish McBrideThey've got each other's bags. Will they find each other's hearts?Sophie isn't going to let a little thing like divorce stop her from flying to New York to see her family.Mike isn't going to let a little thing like losing his wife stop him from flying to New York for work. The one thing they both know for certain is that they're done with love: they're too old, too tired, too lonely for any of it.But life has other plans...And when the luggage carousel at JFK airport decides to give them each the wrong suitcase, they agree that a friendly dinner in the big apple won't do any harm.After all, love stories come when you least expect them - and if his briefcase and her sunshine yellow bag got mixed up, who's to say their hearts can't get mixed up too?So begins a love story of second chances and connection later in life, all set against the backdrop of New York City...
The Suitcase Swap
by Lish McBrideThey've got each other's bags. Will they find each other's hearts?Sophie isn't going to let a little thing like divorce stop her from flying to New York to see her family.Mike isn't going to let a little thing like losing his wife stop him from flying to New York for work. The one thing they both know for certain is that they're done with love: they're too old, too tired, too lonely for any of it.But life has other plans...And when the luggage carousel at JFK airport decides to give them each the wrong suitcase, they agree that a friendly dinner in the big apple won't do any harm.After all, love stories come when you least expect them - and if his briefcase and her sunshine yellow bag got mixed up, who's to say their hearts can't get mixed up too?So begins a love story of second chances and connection later in life, all set against the backdrop of New York City...
The Suitcase Swap
by Lish McBrideThey've got each other's bags. Will they find each other's hearts?Sophie isn't going to let a little thing like divorce stop her from flying to New York to see her family.Mike isn't going to let a little thing like losing his wife stop him from flying to New York for work. The one thing they both know for certain is that they're done with love: they're too old, too tired, too lonely for any of it.But life has other plans...And when the luggage carousel at JFK airport decides to give them each the wrong suitcase, they agree that a friendly dinner in the big apple won't do any harm.After all, love stories come when you least expect them - and if his briefcase and her sunshine yellow bag got mixed up, who's to say their hearts can't get mixed up too?So begins a love story of second chances and connection later in life, all set against the backdrop of New York City...
The Suite Spot
by Trish DollerTrish Doller’s The Suite Spot is a charming romance novel about taking a chance on a new life and a new love.Rachel Beck has hit a brick wall. She’s a single mom, still living at home and trying to keep a dying relationship alive. Aside from her daughter, the one bright light in Rachel’s life is her job as the night reservations manager at a luxury hotel in Miami Beach—until the night she is fired for something she didn’t do.On impulse, Rachel inquires about a management position at a brewery hotel on an island in Lake Erie called Kelleys Island. When she’s offered the job, Rachel packs up her daughter and makes the cross country move.What she finds on Kelleys Island is Mason, a handsome, moody man who knows everything about brewing beer and nothing about running a hotel. Especially one that’s barely more than foundation and studs. It’s not the job Rachel was looking for, but Mason offers her a chance to help build a hotel—and rebuild her own life—from the ground up.
The Sultan Demands His Heir
by Maya BlakeShe will become his bride!Newly crowned sultan Zaid Al-Ameen is determined to rid his country of corruption. Unfortunately for Esme Scott, that means arresting her conman father—leaving her with little choice but to strike a deal with his captor.Zaid sees a golden opportunity in social worker Esme: his country needs reform, and it’s her area of expertise. But working together sparks an insatiable longing—and after a heated encounter, they realize she’s pregnant!Zaid’s sensual power over Esme leaves her helpless to resist his demands. She never imagined she’d become wife to a sultan—until Zaid’s expert touch persuades her otherwise…
The Summer Camp from the Black Lagoon (Black Lagoon Adventures #24)
by Mike ThalerThese fun-filled chapter books mix school, monsters, and common kid problems with hilarious results. You'll scream with laughter!Hubie is being sent far away to summer camp and he can't even bring his TV or computer. But there's plenty for him to do there, like avoiding the snakes in the lake. Will Hubie survive his "vacation"?
The Summer Deal: A Novel
by Jill ShalvisFrom New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis comes a friends-to-frenemies-to-lovers story… Add in a few secrets. Shake. Stir. Then read on a lazy summer day at the beach… Brynn Turner desperately wishes she had it together, but her personal life is like a ping-pong match that’s left her scared and hurt after so many attempts to get it right. In search of a place to lick her wounds and get a fresh start, she heads back home to Wildstone.And then there’s Kinsey Davis, who after battling serious health issues her entire twenty-nine years of life, is tired of hoping for . . . well, anything. She's fierce, tough, and she’s keeping more than one bombshell of a secret from Brynn -- her long-time frenemy.But then Brynn runs into Kinsey's best friend, Eli, renewing her childhood crush. The good news: he’s still easy-going and funny and sexy as hell. The bad news: when he gets her to agree to a summer-time deal to trust him to do right by her, no matter what, she never dreams it’ll result in finding a piece of herself she didn’t even know was missing. She could have real connections, possibly love, and a future—if she can only learn to let go of the past. As the long days of summer wind down, the three of them must discover if forgiveness is enough to grasp the unconditional love that’s right in front of them.
The Summer Deal: The ultimate feel-good holiday read! (The\wildstone Ser. #5)
by Jill Shalvis'Perfect, feel-good fiction' Sarah Morgan on The Lemon SistersIf you love Holly Martin, Jill Mansell and Debbie Macomber, you'll LOVE Jill Shalvis and her irresistible trademark gift for humour, warmth and romance!Jill's books are guaranteed to make you smile:'Perfectly perfect in every way' 5* reader review'You can't go wrong with a Jill Shalvis book' 5* reader review'A heartwarming read with all the feels' 5* reader review'Another winner... I cannot wait for more' 5* reader review'A riveting and comforting romance' 5* reader reviewThere's a thin line between love and hate. After making one bad decision too many, Brynn Turner heads home to Wildstone, hoping to make a fresh start and protect her heart from future mistakes. Having battled serious health issues her entire twenty-nine years of life, Kinsey Davis is tired of hoping for...well, anything. Kinsey is fierce, tough, and she's keeping more than one bombshell of a secret from Brynn - her long-time frenemy. When Brynn runs into Kinsey's lifelong best friend and her own childhood crush, Eli, she never dreams it'll result in finding a piece of herself she didn't even know was missing. She could have real connections, possibly love, and a future - if she can only learn to let go of the past.Want more warm, funny romance? Check out all of Jill's feel-good series!- Wildstone- Heartbreaker Bay- Cedar Ridge- Lucky Harbor - Animal Magnetism - Sky High Air- Wilderas well as her standalones Aussie Rules and Get a Clue!
The Summer Escape: A Novel (The Sunrise Cove Series #6)
by Jill ShalvisSecrets are revealed and forbidden sparks ignited in this sizzling Sunrise Cove standalone, a tale of enemies to lovers, redemption, missing treasures, and love—by romance superstar and New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis.Anna Moore didn’t just wake up one day and decide to go on a wild quest—especially since her life no longer lends itself to wild anything—so how in the world does she end up racing against the clock with Owen Harris, a sexy, enigmatic adventurist, to prove her beloved dad innocent of stealing a million-dollar necklace? It’s all Wendy’s fault. Her older, bossy sister, who’s seven months pregnant and on bed rest in their small Lake Tahoe hometown, is desperate to clear their departed dad’s name. Owen, though, is convinced he’s guilty as hell and wants to return the jewelry back to its rightful owner—his elderly great aunt. Together Anna and Owen go on a scavenger hunt for clues to the past (with Wendy remotely along for the ride via an earbud, supplying a running wry commentary to boot). On opposing sides and suspicious of each other as they are, Anna and Owen still can’t deny the inexplicable and explosive chemistry between them on this heart-stopping adventure, the outcome of which will prove the necklace isn’t the only thing stolen—their hearts have been as well.
The Summer Escape: Escape to Sunrise Cove with this heart-warming and captivating romance
by Jill ShalvisSecrets are revealed and forbidden sparks ignited in this sizzling Sunrise Cove tale of enemies to lovers, redemption, missing treasures, and love - by romance superstar and New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis.'Jill Shalvis' books are funny, warm, charming and unforgettable' RaeAnne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author'Shalvis hits the perfect blend of sweet and spicy' Publishers Weekly____________________Love can be an adventure . . .Anna Moore didn't just wake up one day and decide to go on an adventure, so how in the world did she end up racing against the clock to prove that her dad is innocent of stealing a million-dollar necklace? The answer would be her bossy big sister Wendy: seven months pregnant and on bed rest, but desperate to clear their dad's name.Joining her on her unexpected quest is the sexy and enigmatic Owen Harris. His goal? To prove that Anna's dad is guilty as hell and return the lost jewellery back to its rightful owner - his elderly great aunt.Forced to work together despite their mutual animosity, Anna and Owen find themselves on a scavenger hunt for clues to the past (with Wendy remotely along for the ride via an earbud). As they start to piece together what really happened to the necklace, they also start to learn more about themselves . . . and the inexplicable and explosive chemistry between them that they can no longer ignore.
The Summer Fair: the most perfect summer read filled with sunshine and celebrations
by Heidi Swain'An absolutely gorgeous summer tale of love and secrets' RACHAEL LUCASJoin Sunday Times bestseller Heidi Swain in Nightingale Square for a sunshine and celebration filled summer… Beth loves her job working in a care home, looking after its elderly residents, but she doesn&’t love the cramped and dirty house-share she currently lives in. So, when she gets the opportunity to move to Nightingale Square, sharing a house with the lovely Eli, she jumps at the chance. The community at Nightingale Square welcomes Beth with open arms, and when she needs help to organise a fundraiser for the care home they rally round. Then she discovers The Arches, a local creative arts centre, has closed and the venture to replace it needs their help too – but this opens old wounds and past secrets for Beth. Music was always an important part of her life, but now she has closed the door on all that. Will her friends at the care home and the people of Nightingale Square help her find a way to learn to love it once more…? Your favourite authors love Heidi Swain's books: 'A summer delight!' SARAH MORGAN 'A delightfully sunny read with added intrigue and secrets' BELLA OSBORNE 'With heart-warming characters, a gorgeous summer setting, and a great story with secrets aplenty to keep you turning the pages, it's the perfect read to relax and curl up at home with' CAROLINE ROBERTS 'A ray of reading sunshine!' LAURA KEMP 'A lovely, sweet, summery read' MILLY JOHNSON
The Summer I Robbed A Bank
by David O'Doherty*Winner of the Irish Children's Book Award*'Funny, warm as toast and packed full of ideas that fill up your head and burst in your brain like fizzy magic!' Noel Fielding 'A totally fun, madcap adventure that ends up robbing your heart' Stewart Foster, award-winning author of The Bubble Boy There's a feeling of relief that comes just after you've robbed a bank... Rex's parents have split up and, to make matters worse, he has to spend his summer holiday on a remote and rainy Irish island - with only unruly sheep for company. The only upside: he'll be staying with his strange and brilliant Uncle Derm. Then Rex discovers Uncle Derm is about to execute his most hair-brained plan yet . . . To rob the island's travelling bank! Like the local legend of medieval Pirate Queen Grace O'Malley, Uncle Derm plans to redistribute the money to local needy causes on the island. And he needs Rex's help . . . A chaotic robbery, plenty of sheep and a summer of discoveries come together in this hilarious and heart-warming novel from comedian, actor and author of Danger is Everywhere, David O'Doherty. A perfect adventure for fans of Frank Cottrell Boyce, Ross Welford and David Walliams. ---------- Praise for David O'Doherty's Danger is Everywhere series: 'I dislocated my jaw laughing' Eoin Colfer 'Imagine the Mighty Boosh crashed into the Wimpy Kid' The Times 'Brilliantly funny' Gransnet
The Summer Seaside Kitchen: Winner of the RNA Romantic Comedy Novel Award 2018 (Mure #1)
by Jenny ColganEscape with Jenny Colgan in 2021. The paperback of Jenny's latest bestseller, FIVE HUNDRED MILES FROM YOU, and her new feel-good novel, SUNRISE BY THE SEA, are both available for pre-order now. 'A sheer delight from start to finish' Sophie Kinsella ___________________________________ On a tiny island off the coast of Scotland, a golden opportunity awaits . . . ***WINNER OF THE RNA ROMANTIC COMEDY NOVEL AWARD 2018*** 'An evocative, sweet treat' Jojo Moyes 'Gorgeous, glorious, uplifting' Marian Keyes 'Irresistible' Jill Mansell 'Just lovely' Katie Fforde 'Naturally funny, warm-hearted' Lisa Jewell 'A gobble-it-all-up-in-one-sitting kind of book' Mike GayleFlora is definitely, absolutely sure that escaping from the quiet Scottish island where she grew up to the noise and hustle of the big city was the right choice. What was there for her on Mure? It's a place where everyone has known her all her life, and no one will let her forget the past. In the city, she can be anonymous, ambitious and indulge herself in her hopeless crush on her gorgeous boss, Joel. When a new client demands Flora's presence back on Mure, she's suddenly swept back into life with her brothers (all strapping, loud and seemingly incapable of basic housework) and her father. As Flora indulges her new-found love of cooking and breathes life into the dusty little pink-fronted shop on the harbour, she's also going to have to come to terms with past mistakes - and work out exactly where her future lies...___________________________________ Why readers ADORE Jenny Colgan 'Jenny Colgan has a way of writing that makes me melt inside' 'Her books are so good I want to start over as soon as I have finished' 'There's something so engaging about her characters and plots' 'Her books are like a big, warm blanket' 'Her stories are just so fabulous' 'She brings her settings and characters so vividly to life' 'The woman is just magic'