Must Reads- 4th November 2018
Here's a selection of books I've added to my To Be Read pile this week...
Everyday Enchantments by Maria F DeBlassie
Everyday Enchantments by Maria F DeBlassie
Musings on Ordinary Magic & Daily Conjurings
(Non-fiction / Religion & Spirituality)
Spellbinding meditations on conjuring your own bliss. Everyday Enchantments is a love letter to the magic of everyday life, the sweet moments and the profound that we often overlook in our hurry to get from one place to the next.
This collection of essays reminds us to escape into the ordinary, find beauty in a simple cup of tea or rereading a beloved novel and joyfully let our world turn upside down when synchronicity strikes in the form of wrong turns down forgotten lanes and unexpected midnight conversations with the moon.
Everyday Enchantments is a study in what it means to live deliciously, joyfully, and magically. And it's an invitation to conjure your own bliss, because, let's face it, we could all use a little more magic in our lives.
This collection of essays reminds us to escape into the ordinary, find beauty in a simple cup of tea or rereading a beloved novel and joyfully let our world turn upside down when synchronicity strikes in the form of wrong turns down forgotten lanes and unexpected midnight conversations with the moon.
Everyday Enchantments is a study in what it means to live deliciously, joyfully, and magically. And it's an invitation to conjure your own bliss, because, let's face it, we could all use a little more magic in our lives.
A Nuri Bey Mystery
(Mystery & Thriller)
Turkish philosopher and scholar Nuri Bey lives for his books and longs to study at Oxford. His dream is unattainable without the help of his rich patron, Madame Miasma, so when she asks Bey to deliver a parcel to a friend of hers, he readily agrees. The simple-sounding favour leads to Bey's unwitting participation in a fateful string of events, from an airport shootout with members of an international drug smuggling ring to his sudden and unexpected involvement with a rootless British teenager.
This atmospheric tale of murder and suspense unfolds in Istanbul, which provides a vivid backdrop of minarets, mosques, and the Bosphorus, the dark and winding waterway that bisects the city. Winner of the 1962 Gold Dagger award from the British Crime Writers' Association, it colourfully portrays the differences between British and Turkish sensibilities in the 1960s. The story reflects a society at the crossroads of Europe and Asia that's caught between a proud sultanic past and a compelling modern future.
This atmospheric tale of murder and suspense unfolds in Istanbul, which provides a vivid backdrop of minarets, mosques, and the Bosphorus, the dark and winding waterway that bisects the city. Winner of the 1962 Gold Dagger award from the British Crime Writers' Association, it colourfully portrays the differences between British and Turkish sensibilities in the 1960s. The story reflects a society at the crossroads of Europe and Asia that's caught between a proud sultanic past and a compelling modern future.
(Mystery & Thriller)
How well do you really know your husband?
Grace Dalton is trying to put her life back together after her husband John died suddenly in a hit and run. Her perfect world is collapsing around her, the home she hoped to fill with children is huge and empty, and she’s paralysed with grief.
But as Grace sorts through her husband’s belongings, she realises the man she loved was lying to her. There’s a mysterious list of names hidden among his things, a secret bank account, and a shocking revelation about his family that he kept from her since the day they met.
Who was John Dalton?
As Grace tries to identify the names on the list she realises something is wrong. She’s imagining things: seeing John in the faces of strangers and finding things in an entirely different place to where she’d swear she left them.
Is Grace losing her grasp on reality, or is someone trying to stop her finding out the truth about her husband?
A gripping psychological thriller that will have you questioning everything you think you know. If you enjoyed The Wife Between Us, The Girl on the Train or Behind Closed Doors, you’ll love this book.
Grace Dalton is trying to put her life back together after her husband John died suddenly in a hit and run. Her perfect world is collapsing around her, the home she hoped to fill with children is huge and empty, and she’s paralysed with grief.
But as Grace sorts through her husband’s belongings, she realises the man she loved was lying to her. There’s a mysterious list of names hidden among his things, a secret bank account, and a shocking revelation about his family that he kept from her since the day they met.
Who was John Dalton?
As Grace tries to identify the names on the list she realises something is wrong. She’s imagining things: seeing John in the faces of strangers and finding things in an entirely different place to where she’d swear she left them.
Is Grace losing her grasp on reality, or is someone trying to stop her finding out the truth about her husband?
A gripping psychological thriller that will have you questioning everything you think you know. If you enjoyed The Wife Between Us, The Girl on the Train or Behind Closed Doors, you’ll love this book.
The Laws of the Sun is a book on the Truth taught by Master Ryuho Okawa of Happy Science that is put together in the most systematic way and is the most important of his more than 2,300 books. Ever since he wrote it by automatic writing in 1986, the book has been translated into 19 languages and has sold 10 million copies around the world.
Chapter One reveals many secrets - about Buddha, finite and infinite, structure of the multidimensional universe, birth of life, formation of the Earth's spirit group, how reincarnation works, and the history of battle between angels and devils. Chapter Two teaches about the nature and structure of the human soul, how guardian and guiding spirits work, evolution of the soul, relationship between the mind and the soul, and functions of the mind. Chapter Three is a poetic and theoretical chapter about love. It talks about power of love, theory of developmental stages of love, bridge between love and enlightenment, and love of angels and love of God. Chapter Four takes a Buddhist approach. It starts with enlightenment and the virtue of enlightenment, and then depicts the different levels of enlightenment up to the highest enlightenment of humankind. It also shows how to get to each of those levels. Chapter Five explains in clear detail how the human civilisations have changed in the last one million years, including the Mu and Atlantis civilisations. Chapter Six talks about the wisdom and courage to live your life every day, and reveals the true mission of Supreme God El Cantare.
Okawa writes that The Laws of the Sun is a truly mystical work, and that you should not try to use common sense to understand it, but instead replace your common sense with the content of this book. The Laws of the Sun has awakened many people to the true worldview, taught them the purpose and mission in their life, and changed their lives. And now, you're next. You were born in this age to meet this book.
The Joy of Forest Bathing by Melanie Choukas-Bradley
The Mysterious Japanese Art of Shinrin Yoku
(Outdoors & Nature / Religion & Spirituality)
Being present in a forest can produce mental, emotional, and physical health benefits; The Joy of Forest Bathing is a simple antidote to our nature-starved lives.
Forest bathing - or Shinrin-yoku, in Japan - is the meditative practice of connecting with nature and disconnecting from the distractions of daily life. Simply being present in a forest or other wild area can produce mental, emotional, and physical health benefits. Practitioners and advocates of forest bathing have consistently reported a significant drop in anxiety and overall higher quality of life.
Unlike backpacking or hiking, forest bathing isn't about a workout. Or how far you can trek or climb. It is about stilling your mind and zeroing in on the sights and sounds around you.
This book is both an invitation to take up the practice of forest bathing and inspiration to connect with nature to heal both the planet and humanity.
Chapter One reveals many secrets - about Buddha, finite and infinite, structure of the multidimensional universe, birth of life, formation of the Earth's spirit group, how reincarnation works, and the history of battle between angels and devils. Chapter Two teaches about the nature and structure of the human soul, how guardian and guiding spirits work, evolution of the soul, relationship between the mind and the soul, and functions of the mind. Chapter Three is a poetic and theoretical chapter about love. It talks about power of love, theory of developmental stages of love, bridge between love and enlightenment, and love of angels and love of God. Chapter Four takes a Buddhist approach. It starts with enlightenment and the virtue of enlightenment, and then depicts the different levels of enlightenment up to the highest enlightenment of humankind. It also shows how to get to each of those levels. Chapter Five explains in clear detail how the human civilisations have changed in the last one million years, including the Mu and Atlantis civilisations. Chapter Six talks about the wisdom and courage to live your life every day, and reveals the true mission of Supreme God El Cantare.
Okawa writes that The Laws of the Sun is a truly mystical work, and that you should not try to use common sense to understand it, but instead replace your common sense with the content of this book. The Laws of the Sun has awakened many people to the true worldview, taught them the purpose and mission in their life, and changed their lives. And now, you're next. You were born in this age to meet this book.
The Joy of Forest Bathing by Melanie Choukas-Bradley
The Mysterious Japanese Art of Shinrin Yoku
(Outdoors & Nature / Religion & Spirituality)
Forest bathing - or Shinrin-yoku, in Japan - is the meditative practice of connecting with nature and disconnecting from the distractions of daily life. Simply being present in a forest or other wild area can produce mental, emotional, and physical health benefits. Practitioners and advocates of forest bathing have consistently reported a significant drop in anxiety and overall higher quality of life.
Unlike backpacking or hiking, forest bathing isn't about a workout. Or how far you can trek or climb. It is about stilling your mind and zeroing in on the sights and sounds around you.
This book is both an invitation to take up the practice of forest bathing and inspiration to connect with nature to heal both the planet and humanity.
The Confectioner Chronicles Book 1
(Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Teen & YA)
A magic cupcake. A culinary killer. The perfect recipe for murder.
Wren knew her sweet treats could work wonders, but she never knew they could work magic. She barely has time to wrap her head around the stunning revelation when the head of the prestigious Confectioner’s Guild falls down dead before her. Poisoned by her cupcake.
Now facing murder charges in a magical world she doesn’t understand, Wren must discover the true killer or face the headsman’s axe. With the help of a handsome inspector and several new friends, Wren just might manage to learn the ropes, master her new powers, and find out who framed her. But when their search for clues leads to a deep-rooted conspiracy that goes all the way to the top, she realises that the guild master isn’t the only one at risk of death by chocolate.
If Wren can’t bring the powerful culprit to justice, she and her friends will meet a bittersweet end.
Wren knew her sweet treats could work wonders, but she never knew they could work magic. She barely has time to wrap her head around the stunning revelation when the head of the prestigious Confectioner’s Guild falls down dead before her. Poisoned by her cupcake.
Now facing murder charges in a magical world she doesn’t understand, Wren must discover the true killer or face the headsman’s axe. With the help of a handsome inspector and several new friends, Wren just might manage to learn the ropes, master her new powers, and find out who framed her. But when their search for clues leads to a deep-rooted conspiracy that goes all the way to the top, she realises that the guild master isn’t the only one at risk of death by chocolate.
If Wren can’t bring the powerful culprit to justice, she and her friends will meet a bittersweet end.
(General Fiction / Mystery & Thriller)
From the bestselling author of The Neon Lawyer comes a page-turning thriller about a scrappy lawyer and his fight for justice.
Personal injury attorney Peter Game has a reputation: cynical, untroubled by ethics, and willing to take any case, anytime, in his pursuit of the win. He dreams of a sweetheart score that’ll make his name and net him millions. Then comes the lightning rod: a school shooting just outside of Salt Lake City. His client: the devastated mother of one of the victims.
What she wants is understandable - just not simple: to sue the manufacturers of the automatic weapon used in the mass killing. Game’s opponent, brilliant lawyer Brennen Garvin, is the least of his problems: the entire legal system, influenced by decades of pressure from powerful gun lobbies, is stacked against him.
For Game, this is the case of a lifetime. He’s just not sure his trademark rules will work in his favour. And he’s not sure he wants them to. As Game’s lust for victory gives way to a hunger for justice, he could lose everything—or win back his soul.
Personal injury attorney Peter Game has a reputation: cynical, untroubled by ethics, and willing to take any case, anytime, in his pursuit of the win. He dreams of a sweetheart score that’ll make his name and net him millions. Then comes the lightning rod: a school shooting just outside of Salt Lake City. His client: the devastated mother of one of the victims.
What she wants is understandable - just not simple: to sue the manufacturers of the automatic weapon used in the mass killing. Game’s opponent, brilliant lawyer Brennen Garvin, is the least of his problems: the entire legal system, influenced by decades of pressure from powerful gun lobbies, is stacked against him.
For Game, this is the case of a lifetime. He’s just not sure his trademark rules will work in his favour. And he’s not sure he wants them to. As Game’s lust for victory gives way to a hunger for justice, he could lose everything—or win back his soul.
(Mystery & Thriller)
He see his wife’s eyes watching him in the rear-view mirror, the kids up on their knees to get a better look. That’s when he hears the scream…
You’re driving home from a family outing one afternoon, when a speeding car cuts you up, nearly causing you to crash. Like anyone would, you pull over to confront the driver.
But a glance into the backseat of the speeding car reveals a woman fighting to escape. She is terrified and she’s screaming for your help: these men have murdered her husband…
What would you do?
An addictive thriller with plenty of twists – fans of Harlan Coben, James Patterson and Robert Dugoni will be completely hooked.
You’re driving home from a family outing one afternoon, when a speeding car cuts you up, nearly causing you to crash. Like anyone would, you pull over to confront the driver.
But a glance into the backseat of the speeding car reveals a woman fighting to escape. She is terrified and she’s screaming for your help: these men have murdered her husband…
What would you do?
An addictive thriller with plenty of twists – fans of Harlan Coben, James Patterson and Robert Dugoni will be completely hooked.
(Mystery & Thriller / Politics)
A dystopian tale about a young couple’s life after opportunistic U.S. politicians abolish the wall of separation between Church and State. Seth and Maggie Ginsberg do their best to navigate an oppressive theocracy where fundamental Christianity is the only legal religion, and abortion, homosexuality, and adultery are outlawed. When a co-worker outs Seth as a Jew, Seth escapes to Mexico, while Maggie is sent to a Saviour Camp. American Judas mixes political satire, suspense, and family drama.
The Forgotten Impact on the Wives of Vietnam Veterans
(Biography & Memoir / History)
The boys of '67 and the war they left behind.
The human experience of the Vietnam War is almost impossible to grasp - the camaraderie, the fear, the smell, the pain. Men were transformed into soldiers, and then into warriors.
These warriors had wives who loved them and shared in their transformations. Some marriages were strengthened, while for others there was all too often a dark side, leaving men and their families emotionally and spiritually battered for years to come.
Focusing in on just one company's experience of war and its eventual homecoming, Andrew Wiest shines a light on the shared experience of combat and both the darkness and resiliency of war's aftermath.
The human experience of the Vietnam War is almost impossible to grasp - the camaraderie, the fear, the smell, the pain. Men were transformed into soldiers, and then into warriors.
These warriors had wives who loved them and shared in their transformations. Some marriages were strengthened, while for others there was all too often a dark side, leaving men and their families emotionally and spiritually battered for years to come.
Focusing in on just one company's experience of war and its eventual homecoming, Andrew Wiest shines a light on the shared experience of combat and both the darkness and resiliency of war's aftermath.
(General Fiction / Teen & YA)
The Enchanted Sonata, a retelling of The Nutcracker Ballet with a dash of The Pied Piper, will captivate readers of all ages.
Clara Stahlbaum has her future perfectly planned: marry the handsome pianist, Johann Kahler, and settle down to a life full of music. But all that changes when Clara receives a mysterious and magical nutcracker.
Whisked away to his world - an enchanted empire of beautiful palaces, fickle fairies, enormous rats, and a prince - Clara must face a magician who uses music as magic...and the future she thought she wanted.
Clara Stahlbaum has her future perfectly planned: marry the handsome pianist, Johann Kahler, and settle down to a life full of music. But all that changes when Clara receives a mysterious and magical nutcracker.
Whisked away to his world - an enchanted empire of beautiful palaces, fickle fairies, enormous rats, and a prince - Clara must face a magician who uses music as magic...and the future she thought she wanted.
A Writer or Die Anthology
(Poetry / Sci-Fi & Fantasy)
In a restless suburb of Pittsburgh PA, there dwells an odd writing and critique group called Write or Die.
Celebrating a mysterious annual rite, the authors disclose secret and sometimes tragic circumstances; evident only to those who have experienced the incidents...until now.
The stories in this collection will take you for perilous jaunts on All Hallows Eve, send you sprinting down a beach at midnight, drown your soul in inky waters, soak you in the blood of wizards and dump you down the rabbit hole of insanity.
Whether these are parables that predict or tales to instruct, prepare yourself to be,
Knee Deep in Little Devils
This is the first WorD (Write or Die) Halloween-themed anthology. The short stories contained herein were all written for, and read, during the first three annual Halloween reading events.
These stories range from wonderfully frightening to frightfully preposterous. Sometimes shocking and unpredictable, this disquieting collection will keep you guessing at the sanity of the authors who write these tales.
Celebrating a mysterious annual rite, the authors disclose secret and sometimes tragic circumstances; evident only to those who have experienced the incidents...until now.
The stories in this collection will take you for perilous jaunts on All Hallows Eve, send you sprinting down a beach at midnight, drown your soul in inky waters, soak you in the blood of wizards and dump you down the rabbit hole of insanity.
Whether these are parables that predict or tales to instruct, prepare yourself to be,
Knee Deep in Little Devils
This is the first WorD (Write or Die) Halloween-themed anthology. The short stories contained herein were all written for, and read, during the first three annual Halloween reading events.
These stories range from wonderfully frightening to frightfully preposterous. Sometimes shocking and unpredictable, this disquieting collection will keep you guessing at the sanity of the authors who write these tales.
When You Find Me by P J Vernon
(General Fiction)
(General Fiction)
Her husband is missing.
Visiting her family’s South Carolina estate, socialite Gray Godfrey wakes from a night out to an empty bed. Her husband Paul is gone and a thrashing hangover has wiped her memory clean. At first, she’s relieved for the break from her tumultuous marriage; perhaps Paul just needed some space. But when his car is found abandoned on the highway, Gray must face the truth: Paul is gone. And Gray may not want him found.
Her life is unravelling.
When a stranger named Annie calls claiming to know Paul’s whereabouts, Gray reluctantly accepts her help. But this ally is not what she seems: soon Annie is sending frightening messages and revealing disturbing secrets only Gray could know. As Annie’s threats escalate and Gray’s grip on reality begins to slip, the life she thought she had and the dark truth she’s been living begin to merge, leaving an unsettling question: What does Annie want? And what will she do to get it?
A chilling look at marriage, madness, and the lives we think we lead, When You Find Me is a daring debut from a talented new voice in psychological suspense.
Visiting her family’s South Carolina estate, socialite Gray Godfrey wakes from a night out to an empty bed. Her husband Paul is gone and a thrashing hangover has wiped her memory clean. At first, she’s relieved for the break from her tumultuous marriage; perhaps Paul just needed some space. But when his car is found abandoned on the highway, Gray must face the truth: Paul is gone. And Gray may not want him found.
Her life is unravelling.
When a stranger named Annie calls claiming to know Paul’s whereabouts, Gray reluctantly accepts her help. But this ally is not what she seems: soon Annie is sending frightening messages and revealing disturbing secrets only Gray could know. As Annie’s threats escalate and Gray’s grip on reality begins to slip, the life she thought she had and the dark truth she’s been living begin to merge, leaving an unsettling question: What does Annie want? And what will she do to get it?
A chilling look at marriage, madness, and the lives we think we lead, When You Find Me is a daring debut from a talented new voice in psychological suspense.
(General Fiction)
Bridget Jones meets Twin Peaks in this black comedy about a woman's retreat to a remote Australian town and the horrors awaiting her.
It wasn't just the bad breakup that turned Eleanor Mellett's life upside down. It was the cancer. And all the demons that came with it.
One day she felt a bit of a bump when she was scratching her armpit at work. The next thing she knew, her breast was being removed by an inappropriately attractive doctor, and she was subsequently inundated with cupcakes, besieged by judgy support groups, and the ungrateful recipient of hand-knitted sweaters from her mum.
Luckily, Eleanor finds that Talbingo, a remote little town, needs a primary-school teacher. Their Miss Barker upped and vanished in the night, despite being the most caring teacher ever, according to everyone. Unfortunately, Talbingo is a bit creepy. It's not only the communion-wine-swigging priest prone to rants about how cancer is caused by demons. Or the unstable, overly sensitive kids, always going on about Miss Barker and her amazing sticker system. It's living alone in a remote cabin, with no phone service or wifi, wondering why there are so many locks on the front door, and who is knocking on it late at night.
Riotously funny, deeply unsettling, and surprisingly poignant, Shirley Barrett's The Bus on Thursday is a wicked, weird, wild ride for fans of Maria Semple, Stephen King and Henry James's The Turn of the Screw. And when have those three writers ever appeared in the same sentence?
It wasn't just the bad breakup that turned Eleanor Mellett's life upside down. It was the cancer. And all the demons that came with it.
One day she felt a bit of a bump when she was scratching her armpit at work. The next thing she knew, her breast was being removed by an inappropriately attractive doctor, and she was subsequently inundated with cupcakes, besieged by judgy support groups, and the ungrateful recipient of hand-knitted sweaters from her mum.
Luckily, Eleanor finds that Talbingo, a remote little town, needs a primary-school teacher. Their Miss Barker upped and vanished in the night, despite being the most caring teacher ever, according to everyone. Unfortunately, Talbingo is a bit creepy. It's not only the communion-wine-swigging priest prone to rants about how cancer is caused by demons. Or the unstable, overly sensitive kids, always going on about Miss Barker and her amazing sticker system. It's living alone in a remote cabin, with no phone service or wifi, wondering why there are so many locks on the front door, and who is knocking on it late at night.
Riotously funny, deeply unsettling, and surprisingly poignant, Shirley Barrett's The Bus on Thursday is a wicked, weird, wild ride for fans of Maria Semple, Stephen King and Henry James's The Turn of the Screw. And when have those three writers ever appeared in the same sentence?
Inspired by the Original Story by Michael Morpurgo
(Children's Fiction)
Beloved children's author Michael Morpurgo has re-imagined Raymond Briggs' classic The Snowman for a new generation of readers.
One December morning, James is thrilled to wake up to see snow falling.
He spends the whole day making his perfect snowman; he has coal eyes, an old green hat and scarf and a tangerine nose... just like the snowman from his favourite story.
That night, something magical happens- the Snowman comes to life!
He and James take to the skies on a magical adventure where they meet someone very special.
Inspired by the timeless tale, Michael Morpurgo and Robin Shaw have created the perfect Christmas story for the whole family.
One December morning, James is thrilled to wake up to see snow falling.
He spends the whole day making his perfect snowman; he has coal eyes, an old green hat and scarf and a tangerine nose... just like the snowman from his favourite story.
That night, something magical happens- the Snowman comes to life!
He and James take to the skies on a magical adventure where they meet someone very special.
Inspired by the timeless tale, Michael Morpurgo and Robin Shaw have created the perfect Christmas story for the whole family.
I can't wait to read and review these books so watch this space!
If you liked this post have a look at my complete list of Reading Lists or my complete list of What I Learned full review posts.
Happy Reading!
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