Waterstones Book Of The Year 2022 Shortlist Announced
27 October 2022
Waterstones have announced the titles shortlisted for their annual book of the year award, now in its tenth year. We're pleased to see the below two Ulverscroft releases have been nominated.
The Marraige Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
Published in CD, MP3 CD audiobook and uLibrary eAudiobook in October 2022.
Florence, the 1560s. Lucrezia, third daughter of Cosimo de' Medici, is free to wander the palazzo at will. But when her older sister dies on the eve of marriage to Alfonso d'Este, ruler of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio, Lucrezia is thrust unwittingly into the limelight when the duke requests her hand in marriage. Having barely left girlhood, Lucrezia must now make her way in a troubled court. Perhaps most mystifying of all is her husband himself, Alfonso. Is he the playful sophisticate he appears to be before their wedding, or the ruthless politician before whom even his formidable sisters seem to tremble? As Lucrezia sits in uncomfortable finery for the painting that is to preserve her image for centuries to come, one thing becomes worryingly clear. In the court's eyes, she has one duty: to provide the heir who will shore up the future of the Ferrarese dynasty. Until then, her future hangs entirely in the balance.
Skandar And The Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman
Published in CD and MP3 CD audiobook in May 2022.
Thirteen-year-old Skandar Smith has only ever wanted to be a unicorn rider. To be one of the lucky few selected to hatch a unicorn. To bond with it for life; to train together and race for glory; to be a hero. But just as Skandar's dream is about to come true, things start to take a more dangerous turn than he could ever have imagined. A dark and twisted enemy has stolen the Island's most powerful unicorn - and as the threat grows ever closer, Skandar discovers a secret that could blow his world apart forever...