Bücher veröffentlicht von Opitus Books

In this thrilling third instalment of the Leopard's Bane series, star-crossed lovers Yalka and Peglar face their gravest test yet. Yalka is imprisoned, caught in a dangerous ploy orchestrated by Vancia, Peglar's stepmother, and his vengeful half-brother, Ragul. Peglar is captured and condemned to die by hanging at the next full moon. His fate seems sealed and despair grips the hearts of the lovers as they face the looming spectre of their separation, possibly forever. All seems lost, but then as the moon rises an unexpected twist of fate sets off a startling chain of events. Will Yalka and Peglar find a way to reunite and rewrite their destiny? The answer lies under the hanging moon.

In Leopard's Bane #1, The Poisoned Garden, rich boy Peglar and poor girl Yalka form an unlikely relationship. They both value this but it collapses when Peglar's half-brother and step sister combine to discredit him.Peglar is outlawed at the end of Book 1 and now has a price on his head. As Book 2 begins, his half-brother's men are looking for him. If they find him death awaits, and he must learn new skills and make alliances with unlikely partners if he is to survive.Yalka is now homeless and blames Peglar for the fire which killed her brother. She too must try to find a new life but with no connections and no skills her options are limited.Fate deals the two of them blows which, though different, force them in the same direction. However, before they can reunite Yalka and Peglar must face separate challenges which could destroy them both.

Country Flowers was inspired by the book Flora, ten years among the flowers of an endangered landscape, which describes the unique range of flowers growing in seven small fields on the hills above the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire. Readers of Flora, while enjoying the full sized, lavishly illustrated volume, with its 400 colour photos and detailed context, said they would find a pocket-sized version of the individual flower pages useful to take with them on walks through the Pennine countryside and the hay meadows of West Yorkshire. Country Flowers has been compiled to contain all the flowers from Flora, expanded to include a wider range of common British wildflowers. Each page carries essential information to help you to identify individual flowers from their key features, including colour photographs, the Latin name, some of the country names, which are often more amusing and descriptive than the official ones, the size and colour of the flower, historical and herbal details, and fascinating facts about each one.We are all concerned about the loss of natural environments, and the living things we enjoy and want to protect. Little wildflowers, often grow unnoticed on the footpath verges, in hedgerows, field margins, or in the protected flower meadows of our beautiful, increasingly threatened countryside. As well as delighting us with the colours of their blooms, wildflowers support a myriad of animals and insects, flying, hopping, crawling and munching, and helping to pollinate and propagating the flowers of food crops as well as those in the wild. Like me, you may have found an unfamiliar flower, or one that you recognise, but with a name you can no longer remember! Country Flowers will help your memory for the names you used to know, and introduce you to new varieties. The plants in Country Flowers have been selected to enhance your enjoyment of walks in the countryside, alone or with your friends and family. Over 100 photographs of individual flowers, taken in their natural surroundings, are accompanied by details of country uses, 'fascinating facts' about their history, and culinary or medicinal uses. The meadows where they grow are endangered habitats, and could be permanently damaged by trampling or picking the flowers, or even walking among them. We must preserve the places where wildflowers grow, so our children and grandchildren can enjoy them too.Living through a pandemic has made us all appreciate the countryside so much more, and we know that taking time to stop and look in detail at nature can improve both our mental and physical health. I hope this book will enhance your enjoyment of our sometimes overlooked country flowers.

It took 6,000 years to create the species-rich grassland for which the UK is globally famous, but since the nineteen thirties over ninety seven percent of these wildflower meadows and other species-rich grasslands have been lost. Fertilisers, herbicides and insecticides have destroyed many of the flowers, birds, insects and animals that used to enrich our countryside. The companion to this book, 'Flora - ten years among the flowers of an endangered landscape' attempts to capture the essence of the flowers that have decorated the traditional meadows of the West Yorkshire pennines.Upland hay meadows are governed by the weather and the seasons, and the process of natural haymaking, where grass is grown without artificial fertilisers or weed killers, and cut just once a year. This allows a unique range of wild plants to thrive among the many species of grasses that flourish in such conditions. 'Flora - the pocket guide' is a companion to the larger book and is intended to facilitate easy recognition of wild flower species of the upland hay meadows in northern England.

In 1583 astrologer and magician Dr John Dee finds a remarkable jar with fantastic powers. He employs it in the service of the Queen to save the nation from imminent peril. 400 years later the jar appears again, this time in the hands of a young couple honeymooning in Cornwall.The question is, have they found the jar, or has it found them?"Skilfully mixes historical accuracy, insight into human behaviour, spies, mystery, adventure and a healthy dose of derring-do, to arrive at a story which captures the reader from the start, taking them on an adventure which leaves them wanting more." Will appeal to fans of Dan Brown and Tom Harper.