The best books about Orkney Scotland

In a small seaside town a little girl is found abandoned. When her mother finally arrives, authorities release the pair, believing it to be an innocent case of a toddler running off. Gregor, a seemingly single man, is found bludgeoned and left for dead in his apartment, but the discovery of children’s toys raises more questions than answers. Every night, Ruby gazes into Gregor’s apartment, leading to the discovery of his secret family: his unusually silent daughter and his mentally unstable wife, Constance, who insists that she is descended from the mythological Selkies.

DS Joanna Harper’s investigation into Gregor’s assault leads her to CCTV footage of the mother-daughter pair from town. Harper realizes she knows the woman almost as well as she knows herself: it’s her estranged daughter, Ruby.

Medieval history comes alive when Templar families join forces with exotic warriors in a trek across Scotland, gathering priceless Häling treasures of Divine Wisdom into protective custody.

Book 1 of the Temple Chronicles sets the stage for a 13th-century odyssey inspired by lesser-known historic places, persons, and events. Set amidst ravaging upheaval created by authoritarian conflicts, this story revolves around themes that are resurfacing in current events. The story also incorporates lost Celtic lore of the medieval mindset, including celestial creatures that have faded into the mists of time. For all those serious lovers of Scotland’s distant past, the Temple Chronicles is worthy of sinking yer teeth into!

Europe’s most fearsome prisoner, Vlad Dracula, gifted military commander and one time Prince of Wallachia, the notorious Lord Impaler himself, is about to be released after twelve long years, in order to hold back the tide of Ottoman aggression. The price of his new alliance with his Hungarian captors is the king’s cousin Ilona. Ilona does not wish to be married. In particular, she doesn’t wish to marry Vlad. Gentle, faded and impossibly vague, Ilona is hardly fit for court life, let alone for dealing with so difficult a husband. But Ilona’s wishes have nothing to do with Vlad’s reputation and everything to do with a lifelong love affair that finally broke her. 

In the final book of The Darkest Court trilogy, Queen Mab’s youngest son, Lugh, leads the Wild Hunt on quests across the dangerous Wylds. At his side is his best friend, Keiran, a Viking rescued from death centuries earlier. Between Lugh’s uncanny gift for being in the right place at the right time and Keiran’s power of persuasion, they’re revered across the Wylds—as long as Lugh keeps his true identity hidden from the people of the Sluagh, who hate Court politics. Now, a twisted intrigue has thrown the balance of all Faerie into ruin, igniting a new civil war between Seelie and Unseelie Courts, and forcing Lugh to complete his greatest quest: convincing the Sluagh to fight beside him.

In the final book of The Darkest Court trilogy, Queen Mab’s youngest son, Lugh, leads the Wild Hunt on quests across the dangerous Wylds. At his side is his best friend, Keiran, a Viking rescued from death centuries earlier. Between Lugh’s uncanny gift for being in the right place at the right time and Keiran’s power of persuasion, they’re revered across the Wylds—as long as Lugh keeps his true identity hidden from the people of the Sluagh, who hate Court politics. Now, a twisted intrigue has thrown the balance of all Faerie into ruin, igniting a new civil war between Seelie and Unseelie Courts, and forcing Lugh to complete his greatest quest: convincing the Sluagh to fight beside him.

"January: A man walking along Caledonian Road falls over onto the huge roll of bubble wrap he is hugging, perhaps for just this sort of situation."
Miranda Keeling notices ordinary things. Through the changing seasons, on city streets and buses, in parks and cafes: moments between friends, the interactions of strangers, children delighting in the world around them, the quiet melancholy of lost items on the pavement. The Year I Stopped to Notice brings together Miranda Keeling's observations of the strangeness and beauty in the world around her. The result is a joyful, poignant, and familiar portrait of everyday life. Accompanied by stunning watercolour illustrations from Luci Power, this book invites us to discover the magic of stopping to notice.

In the final book of The Darkest Court trilogy, Queen Mab’s youngest son, Lugh, leads the Wild Hunt on quests across the dangerous Wylds. At his side is his best friend, Keiran, a Viking rescued from death centuries earlier. Between Lugh’s uncanny gift for being in the right place at the right time and Keiran’s power of persuasion, they’re revered across the Wylds—as long as Lugh keeps his true identity hidden from the people of the Sluagh, who hate Court politics. Now, a twisted intrigue has thrown the balance of all Faerie into ruin, igniting a new civil war between Seelie and Unseelie Courts, and forcing Lugh to complete his greatest quest: convincing the Sluagh to fight beside him.

What will it be like to live in cities powered by solar energy? Over the past century, fossil fuels have deeply influenced urban design and living, from lighted nightscapes and suburban sprawl to polluted environments in fenceline communities. How, in turn, will solar energy mark the future of cities? A collection of science fiction, art, and expert commentary on the future of urban solar design, Cities of Light tells the stories of diverse communities in four iconic US cities and their struggles to use solar energy to solve climate change and end injustice.

Through these stories, inspired by Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities, Cities of Light deepens our understanding of the technologies that power urban life and their essential role in shaping the cities of tomorrow.

This book is free and you can get it here.

In the final book of The Darkest Court trilogy, Queen Mab’s youngest son, Lugh, leads the Wild Hunt on quests across the dangerous Wylds. At his side is his best friend, Keiran, a Viking rescued from death centuries earlier. Between Lugh’s uncanny gift for being in the right place at the right time and Keiran’s power of persuasion, they’re revered across the Wylds—as long as Lugh keeps his true identity hidden from the people of the Sluagh, who hate Court politics. Now, a twisted intrigue has thrown the balance of all Faerie into ruin, igniting a new civil war between Seelie and Unseelie Courts, and forcing Lugh to complete his greatest quest: convincing the Sluagh to fight beside him.

In this paranormal romance adaptation of the medieval legend of Tristan and Isolde, the fated mates use Druidic magic, sea ravens, and a white-winged dove to obtain otherworldly allies as they fight to save their Celtic kingdoms. Aided by a triad of shapeshifting warrior tribes—wolves, bears, and sea dragon mermaids—Tristan and Issylte battle the wicked Black Widow Queen whose evil threatens the entire realm.