Showing results by narrator "Kevin Shen" in All Categories

The regulars at the magical Cafe Funiculi Funicula are well acquainted with its famous legend and extraordinary, secret menu time travel offering. Many patrons have reunited with old flames, made amends with estranged family, and visited loved ones. But the journey is not without risks and there are rules to follow. Travellers must have visited the cafe previously and most importantly, must return to the present in the time it takes for their coffee to go cold.

Thirteen-year-old Nanami Kosaki loves reading. The local library is a home from home and books have become her best friends. When Nanami notices books disappearing from the library shelves, she’s particularly curious about a suspicious man in a grey suit whose furtive behaviour doesn’t feel right. Should she follow him to see what he’s up to? When a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears to warn her about how dangerous that would be, together they’re brave enough to follow the frightening trail to find out where all the books have gone.

In Japan's recent past, Miyako suspects her mother-in-law is a murderer. She uses her secret skills as an ex-spy to investigate her, while trying to maintain a peaceful home life. And in Japan's not-too-distant future, a courier named Mito finds himself embroiled in the death of the developer of a sinister AI surveillance system.

In the fifth book in the sensational Before the Coffee Gets Cold series translated from Japanese, the mysterious café where customers arrive hoping to travel back in time welcomes four new guests. They must follow the café's strict rules, however, and come back to the present before their coffee goes cold. Another moving and heartwarming tale from Toshikazu Kawaguchi, in Before we forget kindness our new visitors wish to go back into their past to move on their present, finding closure and comfort so they can embark on a beautiful future.

Twelve-year-old Billy Chan and his friends each share a bond with a dragon. When new dragons fall from the sky into the Human Realm, the group join forces to reunite them with their lost egg. But the Dragon Realm is filled with dangerous golden elixir, magical creatures and threats lurking round every corner. Can our heroes accomplish their mission, or will they fall at the last hurdle?

Princess Théra, once known as Empress Üna of Dara, yielded the throne to her younger brother in order to journey to Ukyu-Gondé to war with the Lyucu, and has crossed the impenetrable Wall of Storms with a fleet of ships and ten thousand people. Now she faces new challenges. In Dara, the Lyucu leadership bristles with rivalries, as power and perspectives change between the remains of the Dandelion courts. Here, mothers and daughters, Empress and Pékyu alike, nurture the seeds of plans that will take years to bloom.

A teenager longs for perfect skin. A scientist tends to fragile alien flora. A young man takes the night into his own hands. Each of these characters has a desperate desire. Can any of them be sated? Unsettling, revelatory, and laced with her signature dark humour, Eliza Clark's debut short story collection plumbs the depths of that most basic human feeling: hunger.

Huli had dedicated his entire existence to making himself into something worthy of Xiao Dan. But as he stood on the brink of claiming the vampire's heart, an evil deal he'd made centuries ago was coming due. Min wanted Xiao Dan's soul. Would he lose Xiao Dan when he confessed his ugly promise? And could he stop Min before it was too late?

Shoji Morimoto was constantly being told that he was a ‘do-nothing’ because he lacked initiative. Dispirited and unemployed, it occurred to him that if he was so good at doing nothing, perhaps he could turn it into a business. And with one tweet, he began his business of renting himself out, to do nothing. In Rental Person Who Does Nothing, Morimoto chronicles his extraordinary experiences in his unique line of work and reflects on how we consider relationships, jobs and family in our search for meaningful connection and purpose in life.

When you don't know The Rules it's hard to stay safe. After a traumatic incident, Aster finds that her blood work comes back with some unusual readings. Unsurprising, as she's the last of an alien race called the Kibsu. But Aster doesn't know this. Immediately, Aster finds herself the focus of a hunt, with her mortal enemies, the Trackers, on one side, and the American government on the other. There seems to be nowhere she can run. But help often comes from the most unexpected quarter.

Yichen is free at last… sort of. He has escaped his imprisonment, but he's still bloodbound to the crown prince of the fae. Oh gods, how is he going to explain that to his clan? Finding a way to break the bond might not be too hard. Killing the king of the fae even seems possible. But there's no way he can let go of the elf who protected him and risked everything for him for a hundred years.

Ahn is no one, with no past and no family. Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child. When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her lethal magical abilities. But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.

When Ruby feels the eyes of a stranger in the woods, she knows she should be scared, that she should run away, but she can’t. Instead, she feels a thrill, feels drawn to this stranger who follows her in the woods. Yearns for his eyes on her every night as she walks home, hoping to hear the crunch of leaves under his feet that signals he’s there. Will he ever reveal himself?

Remy is in love with her best friend Cam, and a winter trip to Japan provides the perfect setting to tell him how she truly feels. But when a mystical tea leaf reading reveals they’re not meant to be together, Remy and Cam find themselves in a secret magical apothecary in their search for answers. Here they are offered an ancient soulmate elixir - but upon drinking it they are plunged into chaos when Cam's memories of Remy completely disappear.

At a New York City wedding, in early summer, four people are trying to get their lives started. Yun has everything he ever wanted, but somehow it's never enough. Emory is finally making her mark, but feels the shame more than the success. Andrew just wants to be honest, but has lied to himself his whole life. Fin can't resist falling in love, but can't help wrecking it all either. That night they see something none of them can explain. Someone sits down, and simply gives up. Soon it's happening all around them. Is it an illness, or a decision?

The "stray cat" Junjie has been feeding and cuddling for months is actually an extremely rare cat shifter. Of course, Leo would have preferred to continue their arrangement of Junjie feeding him choice bits of fish and rubbing his belly, but he needs Junjie's help, and that means revealing his secret. An orphaned kitten needs a home after the fae killed his parents, and Leo is the most irresponsible, feckless, lazy creature in existence. In short, he's a terrible choice for raising a two-year-old cat shifter. No. The worst choice.

Chen traveled to the US with his clan, hoping to rescue his kidnapped brother from the fae. They just need a witch to find the exact location of where the door between the human world and the fae world will open—the one thing Moon can't do. Chen grabbed the wrong type of witch. That's not stopping Moon from clinging to Chen as he guides them through new territory, introducing them to the witches, shifters, and vampires who can help them. The longer Moon remains at Chen's side, the more he hopes the witch might consider staying with him always.

Ex-Delta Force soldier Jack Ford is trying to put the past behind him. But when he receives a letter from someone he hasn't spoken to in 30 years, claiming he has a daughter, he can't resist investigating for himself. Soon he's on a plane to China, a country he hasn't returned to since witnessing the atrocities of the Tiananmen Square massacre. But on his search he stumbles upon explosive information which both the Chinese and American governments are desperately chasing.

Xiang thought his biggest problem was going to be defeating the fae. Nope. Right now, it's escaping this dragon's hoard. The dragon, who tried to eat his clanmate, grabbed Xiang instead, and now Xiang is trapped. And he's not the only one who needs to escape the dragon's lair. Kai is serving as the dragon's assistant and helping to keep Xiang from going crazy with boredom. Xiang is sure there's more to this sexy man beyond his sad eyes and stuffy personality, but learning all of Kai's secrets is going to take time.

Tōru Sakanishi is a recent university graduate who joins a small, prestigious architecture firm founded by Shunsuke Murai, a former student of Frank Lloyd Wright. A sensitive and observant narrator, Sakanishi is captivated by the artistic quality and careful consideration the Murai Office shows to each of its designs. As the sweltering summer months approach, the team migrates from Tokyo to Kita-Asama, a mountain village and artists' colony whose heyday has passed.