Crown Of Betrayal

In 1947, when India achieved independence, Britain portrayed the transfer of power as the outcome of decades, even centuries, of responsible planning – the honourable discharge of an historic responsibility. That view has never been seriously challenged in Britain. But this book shows that the official narrative is a travesty of what really happened. Drawing on the documentary evidence – letters, diaries, state papers – Walter Reid reveals how Britain selfishly deceived and prevaricated in order to arrest political progress in India for as long as possible – a shameful passage in British imperial policy which led to tragedy and untold suffering when independence finally became inevitable.

In 1907, coinciding with the visit of Edward VII to Ireland, an extraordinary discovery was made--the Irish Crown jewels had disappeared from Dublin Castle. Scotland Yard uncovered a complicated web of mystery, intrigue and scandal. The custodian of the jewels, Sir Arthur Vicars and his staff, including his co-tenant Frank Shackleton, brother of the explorer, came under intense scrutiny. The investigation revealed the existence of a homosexual circle within the Castle, including Vicars himself, Shackleton, Lord Haddo--the sun of the Kind's Viceroy in Ireland--and the King's brother-in-law, the Duke of Argyll. A spectacular Irish burglary suddenly threatened to become an international scandal...

In the Queendom of Lore, magic chooses you--whether you want it or not. Arabella is a Relic class peasant, toiling day after day, scavenging the wastelands near the deadly borders of the Lore Queendom. With the love of her life, Asher, by her side, she's accepted her fate, but everything is about to change forever. At the age of seventeen, each Queendom of Lore citizen must take part in the Transfer of Life ceremony. If chosen, the memories and royal responsibilities of the fallen elders are passed on to those who are deemed worthy. During the ceremony, Arabella's fate is ripped from her when the Queen unexpectedly dies--throwing the Queendom into chaos. Somehow, the royal marking is branded onto Arabella's arm, terrifying the almighty Council of Lore. According to tradition and law, a simple peasant must never hold the Queen's Essence or the immense magical power that comes with it. Torn from all she's ever known, Arabella fights to prove she is worthy of the new magic inside her and to reunite with Asher before it's too late. Crown of Lore is a royal fantasy with heart-pounding suspense and romance that will leave you begging for more. Readers of Red Queen and Thorne of Glass will love this new series. Grab a copy today!

Conflict between England and France was a fact of life for centuries, but few realize that this conflict originated with the Vikings and their settlement of what would become Normandy. In this compelling and entertaining history, Mary McAuliffe takes the reader back to those dark and turbulent times when Viking descendant William the Conqueror became king of England, yet as duke of Normandy remained an unwilling subject to the French crown. This led to ongoing hostility between his descendants and generations of French monarchs, culminating in the clash between young Philip Augustus of France and his royal English rivals, most notably Richard Lionheart. Mary McAuliffe colorfully provides the background and context for this "clash of crowns," whose outcome would shape the course of English and French history throughout the centuries that followed.

Fight or flight . . . or both? Three months after Aderyn's coronation the court is celebrating the Solstice, but Aderyn is preoccupied by Lucien's continuing hostility. The celebrations are interrupted by the arrival of nobles who have escaped from the neighbouring country of Celonia - the flightless have risen up and overthrown their rulers. The world is changing. As people begin to question whether Aderyn and Aron are strong enough to rule, there is an attempted assassination on Aderyn's life. Siegfried and Tallis have made their move - they have formed an army, declared war and will take the throne, by any means necessary. Aderyn must fly to uncharted territories and risk the lives of everyone she loves, to defeat her enemies, secure her throne and unite her people. Epic, dangerous and impossible to put down, this finale takes you on a soaring journey through grief, strength and determination to fight for what is right, what you love and what is yours.

At the end of the First World War Britain and to a much lesser extent France created the modern Middle East. The possessions of the former Ottoman Empire were carved up with scant regard for the wishes of those who lived there. Frontiers were devised and alien dynasties imposed on the populations as arbitrarily as in medieval times. From the outset the project was destined to failure. Conflicting and ambiguous promises had been made to the Arabs during the war but were not honoured. Brief hopes for Arab unity were dashed, and a harsh belief in western perfidy persists to the present day. Britain was quick to see the riches promised by the black pools of oil that lay on the ground around Baghdad. When France too grasped their importance, bitter differences opened up and the area became the focus of a return to traditional enmity. The war-time allies came close to blows and then drifted apart, leaving a vacuum of which Hitler took advantage. Working from both primary and secondary sources, Walter Reid explores Britain's role in the creation of the modern Middle East and the rise of Zionism from the early years of the twentieth century to 1948, when Britain handed over Palestine to UN control. From the decisions that Britain made has flowed much of the instability of the region and of the world-wide tensions that threaten the twenty-first century. How far was Britain to blame?

The gorgeous and darkly compelling sequel to The Crown’s Game—perfect for fans of Red Queen and Shadow and Bone.A New York Times bestseller! Magic is growing, shadows are rising, and the throne is at stake… Russia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected. Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead. When a challenger to the throne emerges—and with the magic in Russia growing rapidly—Pasha must do whatever it takes to keep his position and protect his kingdom. For Nikolai, the ending of the Crown’s Game stung deeply. Although he just managed to escape death, Nikolai remains alone, a shadow hidden in a not-quite-real world of his own creation. But when he’s given a second chance at life—tied to a dark price—Nikolai must decide just how far he’s willing to go to return to the world. With revolution on the rise, dangerous new magic rearing up, and a tsardom up for the taking, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha must fight—or face the destruction of not only their world but also themselves.

'One of the best fantasy book series of the past decade' TIME Never trust an assassin. Celaena's story continues in this second book in the #1 bestselling Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become the King's Champion. But she is far from loyal to the crown. Though she goes to great lengths to hide her secret, her deadly charade becomes more difficult when she realises she is not the only one seeking justice. Her search for answers ensnares those closest to her, and no one is safe from suspicion - not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a princess with a rebel heart. Then, one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie ... and what she is willing to fight for. The second book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series returns readers to a land destroyed by liars, where one woman's truth is the only thing that can save them all.