Must Reads 11th February 2018
Here are my book picks for today:
25th Anniversary Edition
From its bravura opening onwards, THE CROW ROAD is justly regarded as an outstanding contemporary novel.
'It was the day my grandmother exploded. I sat in the crematorium, listening to my Uncle Hamish quietly snoring in harmony to Bach's Mass in B Minor, and I reflected that it always seemed to be death that drew me back to Gallanach.'
Prentice McHoan has returned to the bosom of his complex but enduring Scottish family. Full of questions about the McHoan past, present and future, he is also deeply preoccupied: mainly with death, sex, drink, God and illegal substances...
'It was the day my grandmother exploded. I sat in the crematorium, listening to my Uncle Hamish quietly snoring in harmony to Bach's Mass in B Minor, and I reflected that it always seemed to be death that drew me back to Gallanach.'
Prentice McHoan has returned to the bosom of his complex but enduring Scottish family. Full of questions about the McHoan past, present and future, he is also deeply preoccupied: mainly with death, sex, drink, God and illegal substances...
The Sophisticates Book 1
Being a Sophisticate of the Program seems like it’d be a pretty sweet deal: a little genetic alteration and anyone can be smarter, faster, and stronger. It’s a dream come true. All you have to give up is your freedom.
Cleo is a Sophisticate and she has a bright future in the Program. But she has a secret. When she gets upset, bad things happen. Explosive things. Things she can’t control.
When her secret is discovered, she’s sent to the Academy to train in the military branch of the Program. She’s destined to be a human weapon in the war that’s been going on since Wormwood occurred nearly 30 years ago. She soon learns that although her ability is unique, there are others like her - other Sophisticates with lethal skills and odd code names like Archerfish and Mimic Octopus.
Immersed in a dangerous game of supernatural powers and dubious motives, Cleo doesn’t know who to trust. Ozzy, the annoyingly attractive cadet who has perfect aim in weapons class and deviant lips behind closed doors, begs her not to use her powers. He’s the golden boy of the Program, but can she trust him? Or will she find herself a target, caught in his crosshairs?
The Year of the Geek by James Clarke
365 Adventures from the Sci-Fi Universe
The Year of the Geek is a fascinating look into geek culture. Each day will tell a different story from the sci-fi universe, from famous franchises and figures such as Star Wars, The Matrix, Peter Jackson and Luc Besson, to lesser known stories, including the French cult classic City of Lost Children, the Japanese anime Akira and bestselling German novelist, Marcus Heitz. With text written by self-confessed geek James Clarke and accompanied by over 100 infographics that have been specially commissioned for this book, The Year of the Geek celebrates all things geek in a new and intriguing way.
Cleo is a Sophisticate and she has a bright future in the Program. But she has a secret. When she gets upset, bad things happen. Explosive things. Things she can’t control.
When her secret is discovered, she’s sent to the Academy to train in the military branch of the Program. She’s destined to be a human weapon in the war that’s been going on since Wormwood occurred nearly 30 years ago. She soon learns that although her ability is unique, there are others like her - other Sophisticates with lethal skills and odd code names like Archerfish and Mimic Octopus.
Immersed in a dangerous game of supernatural powers and dubious motives, Cleo doesn’t know who to trust. Ozzy, the annoyingly attractive cadet who has perfect aim in weapons class and deviant lips behind closed doors, begs her not to use her powers. He’s the golden boy of the Program, but can she trust him? Or will she find herself a target, caught in his crosshairs?
The Year of the Geek by James Clarke
365 Adventures from the Sci-Fi Universe
Innovation & Flavour
Matt Whiley, AKA The Talented Mr Fox, traces the evolution of the modern bartender against the backdrop of cocktail history. Accompaniments and how they work in cocktails are fully explored, including fruit and aromatic bases such as pomegranate, kaffir, lime, sesame and star anise. It describes the new trend for foraging and creating your own cordials, syrups and bitters, as well as preparing flavoursome cocktails. It also examines the alchemy of flavour and how to create interesting combinations, from creamy and minerally to fragrant and refreshing; boozy, dry and aromatic to savoury and sour. More than 60 recipes made from spirit bases including gin, vodka, whiskey, bourbon and cognac sit alongside expert advice on equipment and glassware for a complete kit to modern cocktail making at home.
Love at First Crime Book 2
She knocked him out, so he knocked down her walls…
He has irritated me ever since we were kids.
He is overprotective.
Controlling.
A complete jerk.
So, I knocked him out.
It was an accident.
I felt terrible … mostly.
It changed things between us.
Life for us both got more complicated.
Add in a stalker who has decided to take an interest in me,
And suddenly our worlds are turned upside-down.
Can things really change between us so fast?
Or are we just making a bigger mess than what we started with?
I think that hit to the head might have knocked things loose for both of us.
Because, from the moment I knocked him out, we saw each other differently.
As some people say, there is nothing quite like love at first … crime.
He has irritated me ever since we were kids.
He is overprotective.
Controlling.
A complete jerk.
So, I knocked him out.
It was an accident.
I felt terrible … mostly.
It changed things between us.
Life for us both got more complicated.
Add in a stalker who has decided to take an interest in me,
And suddenly our worlds are turned upside-down.
Can things really change between us so fast?
Or are we just making a bigger mess than what we started with?
I think that hit to the head might have knocked things loose for both of us.
Because, from the moment I knocked him out, we saw each other differently.
As some people say, there is nothing quite like love at first … crime.
Recommended for readers 17+
This book is a stand-alone. Each book in this series can be read out of order.
This book is a stand-alone. Each book in this series can be read out of order.
Our first goodbye wasn’t our choice.
Our second was…
What do people say about third chances?
I would never forget the moment I met Noah at six years old,
nor would I forget the way I grew into myself next to him; with him.
I didn’t want to forget the way he kissed me for the first time or the way we were two kids pretending it was okay to do adult things.
What I did want to forget was the reason I walked away… and how he had to let me go.
Loving you had a consequence that was too much to bear.
Now I was an empty shell, half of who I was, who I wanted to be…
And I came back home after four long years and this time, I knew you weren’t going to let me go.
I’m afraid… because remembering why I walked away from our love in the first place was the hardest part of all.
But in order for you to understand my relationship with Noah, I have to start from the beginning… Before our love had a price, before they called our love “puppy love”, before I fell from grace…
I was the happiest when I was with him.
Funny how my feet felt like lead the days I left you, Noah… But now that I was back, they only felt like running.
This is a standalone romance that tells Grace and Noah's story starting at age six, but don't let that distract you from reading their story. This is a book meant for adults and deals with mature themes. It's a story about two kids loving each other and proving that maybe when you meet the one, you just know, even if you're a kid.
What do people say about third chances?
I would never forget the moment I met Noah at six years old,
nor would I forget the way I grew into myself next to him; with him.
I didn’t want to forget the way he kissed me for the first time or the way we were two kids pretending it was okay to do adult things.
What I did want to forget was the reason I walked away… and how he had to let me go.
Loving you had a consequence that was too much to bear.
Now I was an empty shell, half of who I was, who I wanted to be…
And I came back home after four long years and this time, I knew you weren’t going to let me go.
I’m afraid… because remembering why I walked away from our love in the first place was the hardest part of all.
But in order for you to understand my relationship with Noah, I have to start from the beginning… Before our love had a price, before they called our love “puppy love”, before I fell from grace…
I was the happiest when I was with him.
Funny how my feet felt like lead the days I left you, Noah… But now that I was back, they only felt like running.
This is a standalone romance that tells Grace and Noah's story starting at age six, but don't let that distract you from reading their story. This is a book meant for adults and deals with mature themes. It's a story about two kids loving each other and proving that maybe when you meet the one, you just know, even if you're a kid.
Beholder Book 2
Beauty. Romance. Power. It's all in the eye of the BEHOLDER.
As a Grand Mistress Necromancer, Elea commands the ultimate power over spirit and bone… magick that she’ll need in order to rescue her friends from the evil Vicomte Gaspard. In a matter of days, Gaspard will kill thousands of Necromancers by draining their magick, along with their life force.
To find and free her fellow mages, Elea must venture into some of the most dangerous places in the realm. What starts off as a rescue quest could easily turn into a suicide mission. And with the handsome mage Rowan along to help, Elea may be risking more than her life. Her growing feelings for Rowan might put her heart on the line, too.
As a Grand Mistress Necromancer, Elea commands the ultimate power over spirit and bone… magick that she’ll need in order to rescue her friends from the evil Vicomte Gaspard. In a matter of days, Gaspard will kill thousands of Necromancers by draining their magick, along with their life force.
To find and free her fellow mages, Elea must venture into some of the most dangerous places in the realm. What starts off as a rescue quest could easily turn into a suicide mission. And with the handsome mage Rowan along to help, Elea may be risking more than her life. Her growing feelings for Rowan might put her heart on the line, too.
Mixed-Media Art Projects for Expanding Creativity & Encouraging Personal Growth
Celebrate and honour your creative potential with Create Your Life Book!
Based on much-loved mixed-media artist Tamara Laporte’s popular, multi-year series of online classes, Create Your Life Book offers mixed-media drawing and painting projects that can raise your awareness of and help you work through personal challenges and other obstacles to creating art and achieving self-fulfilment.
Each themed chapter presents 4 or 5 two-part projects: The first part of each project explores a common issue that hampers creativity and/or positive self-worth, and includes a worksheet or list of questions to be answered; the second part is a step-by-step mixed-media art project that provides a way for artists at all skill levels to contemplate and work through that issue. Also included are projects contributed by some of Tamara’s Life Book guest teachers - Roxanne Coble, Andrea Gomoll, Alena Hennessy, Mystele Kirkeeng, Ivy Newport, and Effy Wild - who are noted mixed-media artists in their own right. Along the way, Tamara shares inspirational photos and uplifting and encouraging affirmations. The final chapter presents a simple binding method for creating a keepsake book of your Life Book projects.
Based on much-loved mixed-media artist Tamara Laporte’s popular, multi-year series of online classes, Create Your Life Book offers mixed-media drawing and painting projects that can raise your awareness of and help you work through personal challenges and other obstacles to creating art and achieving self-fulfilment.
Each themed chapter presents 4 or 5 two-part projects: The first part of each project explores a common issue that hampers creativity and/or positive self-worth, and includes a worksheet or list of questions to be answered; the second part is a step-by-step mixed-media art project that provides a way for artists at all skill levels to contemplate and work through that issue. Also included are projects contributed by some of Tamara’s Life Book guest teachers - Roxanne Coble, Andrea Gomoll, Alena Hennessy, Mystele Kirkeeng, Ivy Newport, and Effy Wild - who are noted mixed-media artists in their own right. Along the way, Tamara shares inspirational photos and uplifting and encouraging affirmations. The final chapter presents a simple binding method for creating a keepsake book of your Life Book projects.
. How can I tell when someone is flirting with me?
. How can I be a more confident flirt?
. How do I avoid rejection?
. Where are all the good men and women hiding?
Flirtology is THE dating guide for the 21st century. In an age of swiping left and right, and hiding behind online profiles, this book shows you how to replace connectivity with connection.
Flirtology debunks the myths that surround flirting in order to help you find love. It helps you to analyse what you are looking for in a potential partner, shows you how to practise your interaction skills and how to unlock your inner flirt. It will give you the confidence to speak to anyone, anywhere and get results - without every compromising who you are. It's not about games, rules and tricks - it's about presenting your real self so that you will attract the right people for you.
Jean Smith is a social and cultural anthropologist who specialises in the science of flirting. For over a decade she has been helping countless clients build their confidence and find love. Her Fearless Flirting tours and Guardian Masterclasses are hugely popular and regularly sell out. In Flirtology she brings you a fun, efficient and scientifically researched guide to finding your own perfect match.
. How can I be a more confident flirt?
. How do I avoid rejection?
. Where are all the good men and women hiding?
Flirtology is THE dating guide for the 21st century. In an age of swiping left and right, and hiding behind online profiles, this book shows you how to replace connectivity with connection.
Flirtology debunks the myths that surround flirting in order to help you find love. It helps you to analyse what you are looking for in a potential partner, shows you how to practise your interaction skills and how to unlock your inner flirt. It will give you the confidence to speak to anyone, anywhere and get results - without every compromising who you are. It's not about games, rules and tricks - it's about presenting your real self so that you will attract the right people for you.
Jean Smith is a social and cultural anthropologist who specialises in the science of flirting. For over a decade she has been helping countless clients build their confidence and find love. Her Fearless Flirting tours and Guardian Masterclasses are hugely popular and regularly sell out. In Flirtology she brings you a fun, efficient and scientifically researched guide to finding your own perfect match.
How the Science of Compassion Can Heal Your Heart & Your World
It's time for a kindness revolution. In The Kindness Cure, psychologist Tara Cousineau draws on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to show how simple practices of kindness - for ourselves, for others, and for our world - can dissolve our feelings of fear and indifference, and open us up to a life of profound happiness.
Compassion for ourselves and others is our birth-right as humans - hardwired into our DNA and essential to our happiness. But in our fast-paced, technical savvy and hyper competitive world, it may come as no surprise that rates of narcissism have risen, while empathy levels have declined. We now find ourselves in a "cool to be cruel" culture where it's easy to feel disillusioned and dejected in our hearts, homes, and communities. So, how can we reverse this malady of meanness and make kindness and compassion an imperative?
The Kindness Cure draws on the latest social and scientific research to reveal how the seemingly "soft skills" of kindness, cooperation, and generosity are fundamental to our survival as a species. In fact, it's our prosocial abilities that put us at the head of the line. Blended with moving case studies and clinical anecdotes, Cousineau offers practical ways to rekindle kindness from the inside out.
We are wired to care. The very existence of our human species evolved because of an intricate physiology built for empathy, compassion, and cooperation. Yet we have an epidemic of loneliness, indifference, and cruelty, and we see these destructive trends on a daily basis in our families, schools, neighbourhoods, and workplaces. This important book teaches effective skills in compassion, mindfulness, and social and emotional learning, and reveals successful social policy initiatives in empathy taking place that inform everything from family life to education to the workplace.
Kindness has the exponential power to renew relationships and transform how we think, feel, and behave in the world. Will you be a part of the revolution?
I can't wait to read and review these books so watch this space!
Have a look at my complete list of Reading Lists.
Happy Reading!
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