But there are darker forces at work, even than the bombings. Soon Col is pursued by the terrifying Midwinter King, who is determined to bring an eternal darkness down over everything. Midnight Trains is the latest arrival in what is becoming a crowded market. Across Europe, state-run railways are facing new competition from private operators looking to introduce night trains. Fans of rail travel have waited some time for new night train routes to come along … only to find, a bit like buses, several turning up at the same time.

Midnight – review | Before Midnight | The Guardian Before Midnight – review | Before Midnight | The Guardian

This book has quite a few older myths, folklore and fairytales rolled into it. But we're talking about fairies that are terribly ugly little grievances to the world, not Tinkerbell. It’s a heartfelt, magical, gentle yet wild & adventurous book about friendship, about what it feels like to lost something and keep walking in hope. It also thought about love and kindness. About being really really brave & courageous. About family. The best discovery for me in 2021, a year that I desperately needed a smile and laughter, was the haunted house sitcom Ghosts. I found it on BBC iPlayer and I was completely charmed and amused. I watched both series one and two and gleefully discovered a third series in the autumn. I watch it over and over and it feels like an old friend. Katie Tunnicliffe, 61, Sheffield A House Through Time (BBC Two) The founders say the aim is not to match the famous – and expensive – luxury of the Orient Express but offer an alternative to the basic, state-run SNCF sleepers and short-haul flights.

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Tha story follows Col during the last few days of 1940 until the first day of 1941, so we are right in the midst of World War II at this point. Col is eleven (?) and has been sent away from his home in London to stay with his Aunt in Buxley. At the beginning of the book, Col is frustrated, bored, sad and quite frankly doesn't have a clue what's happening in the war. He's also rude and ungrateful. We see character development on all of these points. Following the death of their father, 12-year-old Col is evacuated during the Second World War, while his big sister Rose stays in London to help with the war effort. Learning that Rose is in terrible danger, Col embarks on a perilous journey to save her. This is a streamlined novel; no side plots, no broad cast of characters, no twists of fantasy for the sheer joy of it. While the concept does fly high, it also flies straight. For those readers who might be put off by speculative fiction, The Midnight Library is a charming way into the genre. A beautifully written story with a huge scope for discussion, perfect for 9+ or for reading to younger children. This includes what you would have to pay for baggage and things like taxis to and from the airport,” he said.

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer review - The Guardian Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer review - The Guardian

What’s a mogdoc, you ask? Think of a gremlin crossed with a swamp monster, then give it supernatural speed, agility, strength, and a taste for human blood. Nora Seed feels useless. Her cat is dead, her brother doesn’t seem to be interested in her, and she has been fired: nobody needs her. Late one evening, she tries to kill herself. I inhaled this wonderful book in one sitting ... humour, beautiful writing, heartbreak, hope, and a fat badger in a waistcoat. I'll be recommending it to everyone ." Katya BalenThe book is beautiful and whimsical, and sometimes terrifying, it made me laugh and it made me cry. It truly has everything that I love in a book, and I cannot recommend it enough. I can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy, and it will definitely sit amongst the more special books on my shelves. Peter Garrett and Peter Gifford perform in Chicago, Illinois in 1984. Photograph: Paul Natkin/Getty Images 13. Gunbarrel Highway (1987) The weight of expectation might have gotten to Meyer, given that Midnight Sun is not a new narrative. But it wasn’t until I had finished reading it and dug out a copy of Twilight that I realised quite how much overlap there is. The two books are almost exactly the same, down to scenes, dialogue and viewpoint. Compare Bella, in Twilight: “I looked down at my dress, fidgeting with a stray piece of chiffon. He waited in silence.” And Edward, in Midnight Sun: “She looked down at her beautiful dress, tugging absently on a chiffon ruffle. I knew what was coming. I let her find the words she wanted.” Thirdly, even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, you’d still enjoy this book still because Christmas is not the main focus. It’s rather a setting for time and more of like a culture rather than a religious matter. Senior year has begun. Keira Ryan should be worrying about the two boys that are vying for her heart. She should be worrying about Prom. But instead of a dress, she’s choosing which dagger to carry. An ancient evil is working to infiltrate our world, and she’s the only one who can stop it . . . the prophesied “Child of Sun & Moon”.