Isabelle's bookshelf: read en-US Mon, 05 Dec 2022 06:26:10 -0800 60 Isabelle's bookshelf: read 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?]]> 36402034 258 Philip K. Dick Isabelle 5
- story about the origin of and nature of consciousness. A classic

Strong points:

- the plot, the themes, the symbolism, the imagery

Weak points:

- the style is a little bit old-fashioned for my taste, but everything else compensated for it]]> 4.16 1968 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
author: Philip K. Dick
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1968
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:
Unique selling points:

- story about the origin of and nature of consciousness. A classic

Strong points:

- the plot, the themes, the symbolism, the imagery

Weak points:

- the style is a little bit old-fashioned for my taste, but everything else compensated for it
]]> <![CDATA[I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream]]> 415459 I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream contains seven stories with copyrights ranging from 1958 through 1967. This edition contains the original introduction by Theodore Sturgeon and the original foreword by Harlan Ellison, along with a brief update comment by Ellison that was added in the 1983 edition. Among Ellison's more famous stories, two consistently noted as among his very best ever are the title story and the volume's concluding one, Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes.

Since Ellison himself strongly resists categorization of his work, we won't call them science fiction, or SF, or speculative fiction or horror or anything else except compelling reading experiences that are sui generis. They could only have been written by Harlan Ellison and they are incomparably original.

CONTENTS
"I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream"
"Big Sam Was My Friend"
"Eyes of Dust"
"World of the Myth"
"Lonelyache"
"Delusion for Dragonslayer"
"Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes"]]> 134 Harlan Ellison 0441363954 Isabelle 4
- unique A.I. called "AM" that endlessly tortures the last five humans alive on the planet
- original concept that I've only seen well-executed in Blackwick's Neon Sci-Fi novel "5 Stars" through the character of "the Neon God"

Strong points:

- the cast of characters, the symbolism, the themes
- the characters are grey and morally-ambiguous, which I love

Weak points:

- it could have been a book, rather than a short-story. There was enough material there to fill a whole book]]> 3.92 1967 I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream
author: Harlan Ellison
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1967
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:
Unique selling points:

- unique A.I. called "AM" that endlessly tortures the last five humans alive on the planet
- original concept that I've only seen well-executed in Blackwick's Neon Sci-Fi novel "5 Stars" through the character of "the Neon God"

Strong points:

- the cast of characters, the symbolism, the themes
- the characters are grey and morally-ambiguous, which I love

Weak points:

- it could have been a book, rather than a short-story. There was enough material there to fill a whole book
]]> <![CDATA[The Hobbit, or There and Back Again]]> 5907 Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. The text in this 372-page paperback edition is based on that first published in Great Britain by Collins Modern Classics (1998), and includes a note on the text by Douglas A. Anderson (2001).]]> 366 J.R.R. Tolkien Isabelle 5
- unique races, world building and cast of characters. classic read

Strong points:

- the message behind the adventure

Weak points:

- wordy. difficult to follow at times.]]> 4.29 1937 The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1937
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: fantasy, favorites, classics, books-i-purchased-for-my-shelf, books-i-ve-really-enjoyed
review:
Unique selling points:

- unique races, world building and cast of characters. classic read

Strong points:

- the message behind the adventure

Weak points:

- wordy. difficult to follow at times.
]]> <![CDATA[Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch]]> 12067
People have been predicting the end of the world almost from its very beginning, so it’s only natural to be sceptical when a new date is set for Judgement Day. This time though, the armies of Good and Evil really do appear to be massing. The four Bikers of the Apocalypse are hitting the road. But both the angels and demons – well, one fast-living demon and a somewhat fussy angel – would quite like the Rapture not to happen.

And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist…]]> 491 Terry Pratchett Isabelle 5
- lovely humorous story about the battle between good and evil

Strong points:

- Azaeraphael and Crowley were deliciously delightful

Weak points:

- I sometimes couldn't follow the change of scene/scenario. Something about the style makes it hard to follow the settings]]> 4.27 1990 Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1990
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: authors-on-my-watchlist, good-fantasy-novel, humorous
review:
Unique selling points:

- lovely humorous story about the battle between good and evil

Strong points:

- Azaeraphael and Crowley were deliciously delightful

Weak points:

- I sometimes couldn't follow the change of scene/scenario. Something about the style makes it hard to follow the settings
]]> Lord of the Flies 7624 182 William Golding 0140283331 Isabelle 5
- story about the origin of evil and the nature of humanity

Strong points:

- the cast of characters, the symbolism, the themes

Weak points:

- sometimes the plot was a little bit on the nose and the writing style felt preachy]]> 3.70 1954 Lord of the Flies
author: William Golding
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.70
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: books-i-purchased-for-my-shelf, books-i-ve-really-enjoyed
review:
Unique selling points:

- story about the origin of evil and the nature of humanity

Strong points:

- the cast of characters, the symbolism, the themes

Weak points:

- sometimes the plot was a little bit on the nose and the writing style felt preachy
]]> God is a Robot 36186264
From the bestselling author of the "Vivian Amberville" saga, comes the humorous science fiction novel that will have you question your own humanity.

Set in a world where humans are long extinct, 4 unlikely robots will embark on a journey to answer: Why have the humans created us? An original post-apocalyptic story with an all-robot-cast, where the very meaning of "life" and "existence" is put to question.

Written in the light & humorous - yet no less meaningful - satirical style of George Orwell's "Animal Farm", "God is a Robot" explores themes such as "creation", "free will" and "purpose" in a crumbling world devoid of humanity, as we know it.

GENRE: science fiction, dystopian fiction;
CATEGORY: young adult, humorous satire;
SETTING: futuristic dystopia, post-apocalyptic humanless world;
SUBJECTS: moral decay, lack of faith, robot adventure;
THEMES: humanity, creation, friendship, free will;
]]> Louise Blackwick Isabelle 5
Unique selling points for “God is a Robot”:

- The novel is humorous and reads like a classic Pixar film
- Incredible humanization of the all-robot cast of characters
- One of the robot characters is robo-religious and yet to become self-aware. I found his lines the most hilarious.

Strong spots in the story:

- The four main characters, which are all robots
- World-building feels grand and very Wall-e-esque but not derivative
- Again, the themes and symbolism of the work. This is something the author is exceptionally good at.

Weak spots in the story:

- Unlike other works from Blackwick, this is the only one that feels a little bit lighter and not so dark/pessimistic. This makes “God is a Robot” the odd book out, so depending on your expectations, the story can read more like a pixar movie than your average Blackwick novel (dark, deep, intensely philosophical)
- One of the robot characters felt a bit “preachy” at times. Not necessarily a fault, but I thought I’d add it in.]]> 4.71 God is a Robot
author: Louise Blackwick
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.71
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/01/01
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: should-win-an-award, like-a-pixar-movie, authors-on-my-watchlist, humorous, stories-about-robots, books-i-ve-really-enjoyed, favorites, wholesome-science-fiction, science-fiction, robots, meaning-of-life, philosophical
review:
(Received an advanced copy from the author. I was not asked to post a review, but I really enjoyed the story and felt like spreading the word.)

Unique selling points for “God is a Robot”:

- The novel is humorous and reads like a classic Pixar film
- Incredible humanization of the all-robot cast of characters
- One of the robot characters is robo-religious and yet to become self-aware. I found his lines the most hilarious.

Strong spots in the story:

- The four main characters, which are all robots
- World-building feels grand and very Wall-e-esque but not derivative
- Again, the themes and symbolism of the work. This is something the author is exceptionally good at.

Weak spots in the story:

- Unlike other works from Blackwick, this is the only one that feels a little bit lighter and not so dark/pessimistic. This makes “God is a Robot” the odd book out, so depending on your expectations, the story can read more like a pixar movie than your average Blackwick novel (dark, deep, intensely philosophical)
- One of the robot characters felt a bit “preachy” at times. Not necessarily a fault, but I thought I’d add it in.
]]> The Underworld Rhapsody 42421173
Under the influence of the powerful new psychedelic drug “ Rhapsody ”, Mario Fantoccio discovers the existence of an invisible reality overlaying our own. The rhapsody-altered state of consciousness brings Mario to close encounters with “ the Masters of Strings ”, a coven of hyperdimensional beings who appear to control the destiny of every human in existence .

Desperate to sever the strings tying him to the will of his Masters, Mario overdoses on Rhapsody and escapes into hell, hoping to regain control of his life and free will. Based on a modern interpretation of Jungian psychology, The Underworld Rhapsody is heavily themed on " subjective reality ", " altered states of consciousness ", and " individuation " as it follows one man's struggle to escape the chaos of his life and regain his free will.

The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this book are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred. Although the story features various psychedelic substances, it should not be read as an endorsement of drug use.

surreal psychedelic voyage, psychological thriller;

Jungian psychology, visionary and metaphysical;

urban Leicester, alternate reality, beyond the fabric of reality;

altered state of consciousness, psychedelic drug abuse, the price of freedom, the torture of being;

collective unconscious, free will vs. determinism, order and chaos;]]> 113 Louise Blackwick 9492064138 Isabelle 4
- The premise: the character takes an experimental drug. When he wakes up, he realizes he can see the “cosmic strings” tying each person to the will of their masters.
- The character’s descent into (literal) hell and his escape from it is one of the most unusual and compelling scenes I’ve read in a while.

Strong spots in the story:

- Strange but unique psychological thriller with unexpected twists and turns
- Strong main character
- As it is always with the case with this author, great use of themes and symbols

Weak spots in the story:

- The story is sometimes “too abstract” and if you’re not a connoisseur, the symbols and references to alchemy and mythology can fly over the average reader’s head
- The ending is open-ended and leaves a lot to the reader’s interpretation
]]> 4.64 The Underworld Rhapsody
author: Louise Blackwick
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.64
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2019/01/01
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: authors-on-my-watchlist, psychedelic, psychological-thrillers, should-win-an-award, surreal-story, stories-about-drugs, favorites, fantasy-authors-to-watch, stories-like-the-alchemist, philosophical, thriller
review:
Unique selling points for “The Underworld Rhapsody”:

- The premise: the character takes an experimental drug. When he wakes up, he realizes he can see the “cosmic strings” tying each person to the will of their masters.
- The character’s descent into (literal) hell and his escape from it is one of the most unusual and compelling scenes I’ve read in a while.

Strong spots in the story:

- Strange but unique psychological thriller with unexpected twists and turns
- Strong main character
- As it is always with the case with this author, great use of themes and symbols

Weak spots in the story:

- The story is sometimes “too abstract” and if you’re not a connoisseur, the symbols and references to alchemy and mythology can fly over the average reader’s head
- The ending is open-ended and leaves a lot to the reader’s interpretation

]]> Reprobates 43582331 From the bestselling author of the "Vivian Amberville" saga, comes the surreal novella of a man's journey through Limbo.

Freshly arrived at the Totermann Inn, Marc Whitehouse couldn’t have known he was dead. Sir, no sir. Not now that Chantal Dublanc had so mysteriously entered his life; his afterlife. In his quest for the truth behind his early demise, he finds himself on a journey where past memories intermingle with present actions. He is not yet ready to call it a life. 206 heartbeats to peace. The hour is late, but Marc is yet to renounce his hope for salvation...

A surreal novella of love, loss and the afterlife, written in the captivating, dreamlike style of André Breton. “Reprobates” is an exquisitely written narrative of Life after Life, centred on Marc’s journey through Limbo. Its style is heavy on allegory, at every step teeming with Underworld intrusions of the sacred into the profane.

Genre: Epic Surreal Fiction, Psychological Thriller
Date of publishing: October 12th, 2015
Category: Classic British novella
Subjects: Life after death, journey through purgatory
Themes: Love, loss, death, life and afterlife
]]> Louise Blackwick 9492064030 Isabelle 4
- The reveal that the limbo the character is trapped in is composed from the last few minutes of that character’s life
- Surreal imagery that seems disjoined but only come together towards the end of the story

Strong spots in the story:
- Compelling main character
- Unique dialogue, with plenty of symbolism
- Reads like a story set in the Twin Peaks universe

Weak spots in the story:
- This short-story was written by the author at a very young age, and it shows in the finer details. The execution of the limbo elements is a little bit on the nose.
]]> 4.29 2015 Reprobates
author: Louise Blackwick
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/05
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: psychological-thrillers, stories-about-limbo, surreal-story, psychedelic, like-twin-peaks, limbo, authors-on-my-watchlist
review:
Unique selling points for “Reprobates”:

- The reveal that the limbo the character is trapped in is composed from the last few minutes of that character’s life
- Surreal imagery that seems disjoined but only come together towards the end of the story

Strong spots in the story:
- Compelling main character
- Unique dialogue, with plenty of symbolism
- Reads like a story set in the Twin Peaks universe

Weak spots in the story:
- This short-story was written by the author at a very young age, and it shows in the finer details. The execution of the limbo elements is a little bit on the nose.

]]> Jump into the Abyss! 36492785 WARNING LABEL: ANXIETY-INDUCING IMAGERY | POLARIZED MAIN CHARACTER | HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT

From the bestselling author of the "Vivian Amberville" saga, comes the unnerving horror short-story of an innocent man who gets buried alive over the festering remains of his late wife, Kassandra.

During his premature entombment, forty long nails are struck into Chase Chaperone's casket, plunging him deeper into Hell. This grim ritual is a dark operetta written in rhyming prose - an homage to Dante's Inferno - from which naught but the most vile of souls can escape.

The man is subsequently set free from the coffin by the grotesque dwarf Eldritch, who in a fit of revenge, climbs onto his back and refuses to climb down. Chase is thus doomed to carry the parasitic dwarf atop his back for the rest of his days, while searching for absolution.

This Halloween special explores themes such as "death and decay", "justice" and "morality", in a forlorn world set outside the reach of modern civilisation. Written in the grim and melodious style of Edgar Allan Poe, "Jump into the Abyss!" follows Chase Chaperone's descent into the far-reaching Abyss of his soul in a masterfully-written allegorical tale.

GENRE: horror fiction, surreal thriller;
CATEGORY: surreal short-story, allegorical horror;
SETTING: edge of civilisation; a coffin;
SUBJECTS: death as a process, descent into hell, karmic law;
THEMES: absolution, death and decay, injustice;
]]> 17 Louise Blackwick Isabelle 5
- Written in rhyming prose, in a way that makes the words rhyme in your head even if you’re reading it as a text
- It reads like a classic horror short-story, with Poe-esque imagery and operetta-like style reminiscent of Dante’s Inferno
- Very high literary value, themes-wise. This type of story, though contemporary, should be studied by literature majors.

Strong spots in the story:

- Unique writing style, imagery, allegory and metaphors
- Very dark and disturbing images, mostly related to decay and putrefaction, but everything is written very tastefully and artistically.
- Despite its short length, the story is surprisingly deep and layered.

Weak spots in the story:

- Very short, sitting at only some 7500 words. I enjoyed it so much I would have loved to be more in the world of the story.
- The subject is taboo, and the characters can feel mildly controversial. Some more sensitive readers may feel offended by some actions.
]]> 4.77 Jump into the Abyss!
author: Louise Blackwick
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.77
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: books-about-being-buried-alive, psychological-thrillers, horror, rhyming-prose, authors-on-my-watchlist, should-win-an-award, disturbing-imagery, like-edgar-allan-poe, books-i-ve-really-enjoyed
review:
Unique selling points for “Jump into the Abyss!”:

- Written in rhyming prose, in a way that makes the words rhyme in your head even if you’re reading it as a text
- It reads like a classic horror short-story, with Poe-esque imagery and operetta-like style reminiscent of Dante’s Inferno
- Very high literary value, themes-wise. This type of story, though contemporary, should be studied by literature majors.

Strong spots in the story:

- Unique writing style, imagery, allegory and metaphors
- Very dark and disturbing images, mostly related to decay and putrefaction, but everything is written very tastefully and artistically.
- Despite its short length, the story is surprisingly deep and layered.

Weak spots in the story:

- Very short, sitting at only some 7500 words. I enjoyed it so much I would have loved to be more in the world of the story.
- The subject is taboo, and the characters can feel mildly controversial. Some more sensitive readers may feel offended by some actions.

]]> <![CDATA[The Book of Chaos (Vivian Amberville, #2)]]> 43705034 "Follow the Dark and where it's leading you..."

Vivian Amberville® is a bestselling philosophical fantasy book series about a girl whose imagination can reshape reality.

This year, the universe that spanned millions of fans worldwide and captured readers imagination all around the world invites you on an epic journey beyond the fabric of reality.

Return to a world where reality can be altered and history can be rewritten, and discover what it really takes to reshape your destiny.

ABOUT THE BOOK

There is a hard limit to human imagination. This story will take you far beyond that limit, beyond the fabric of reality itself.

"Vivian Amberville - The Book of Chaos" is the second instalment in the Vivian Amberville fantasy series by international author, Louise Blackwick. It centers on Vivian’s attendance at the “Alarian School of Thought”, a place where students learn the noble and dangerous art of “Weaving subtle Threads of influence into the fabric of reality”. Joined by friends and challenged by foes, Vivian will have to master her ability to manipulate odds and circumstances, in a world now complicated by war, disease and political strife.

SHORT SYNOPSIS

Every crevice hides a shadow. Every shadow, a shape. And there are Darkthings sleeping beneath the folds of reality…

A book that won’t open. A grey and shadowless place. A mysterious Black Door, with a countdown from eight. And Things without Eyes that await in the Dark.

Vivian Amberville is about to unravel it all. Now that she is a student of Weavership at the “Alarian School of Thought”, she is to learn how to twist the fabric of reality to her will.

There are answers to be found in Subexistence, the hidden pocket dimension of discarded choices and paths not followed.

But the Abyss is a dark and dangerous place, built like a labyrinth. Can she find her way out?

THE ONLY WAY OUT IS THROUGH.

With the help of a mysterious diary from her past, Vivian must uncover the secret behind her Chaos-Weaving abilities, and learn the truth about her dark and terrible destiny.

LONG SYNOPSIS

Vivian’s powers over reality have taken a dark turn.

Believed to be a Chaos Weaver – a Weaver’s dark twin – Vivian’s powers must be brought under control, lest they consume the substance of creation.

Under the looming threat of a mysterious dark presence, Vivian will once again travel beyond the fabric of reality and attend the “Alarian School of Thought”, a place where Weavers are made and Chaos Weavers are notoriously unmade.

When the war on Chaos Weavers becomes a war for her soul, Vivian must seek the Abyss to confront the origin of her powers. Aided by a mysterious book from her past, she must learn to navigate Subexistence, a place where history can be rewritten, and Time is both instant and infinite.

Is Vivian Amberville’s life a figure-8 loop? Is there such thing as free will?

The Dweller on the Threshold is bound to answer her questions. And what of the Dark Horror that sleeps in the Abyss of Reality?

Her choice is between Heart and Death. On one side, is herself; on the other, reality.

Will she make the right choice?



GENRE: epic dark fantasy;
CATEGORY: new adult, coming of age, adventure, Jungian allegory;
SETTING: double-dystopia: futuristic dystopia and fantasy world;
SUBJECTS: time travel, complex time loops, parallel universes, mind over matter, matter manipulation;
THEMES: free will vs. determinism, order vs. chaos, freedom and responsibility, embracing your shadow, family, friendship, sacrifice;
TAGS: post-apocalyptic, time loops, inter-dimensional travel, journey within;
]]> 633 Louise Blackwick Isabelle 5
- Completely original and unbelievably unique soft magic system(s). Just to give an example, people called Chaos Weavers can manipulate “abstract concepts” such as shadows, pain, and even reality itself. There is a Shadowstealer, a Realityshifter, a Darkbinder, a Painpusher, a Conceptbreaker, an Oddsweaver and so much more. There are also people who can weave threads of influence into the fabric of reality (Weavers), people who can rewrite history in a special type of ink and who can write people into stories (Scribes), people who can put words into your mind and watch them take over your mind (Reframers), people who can remove the thread tethering you to reality (Unwirer), etc.

- The part when the main character cuts reality into 2 subrealities, Chaos and Order - and the author shows that by cutting the page into two texts, detailing that transformation – should win an award.

- If you enjoyed Harry Potter, you’re going to LOVE this fantasy series. More mature and complex themes than the first book in the series. You can tell the author has grown artistically.

Strong spots in the story:

- The entire novel is an epic, psychedelic trip cranked up to 1000. It’s written like a woven tapestry, with its many storylines combining into a great grand picture. This is very appropriate, considering the novel’s subject-matter.
- The previous cast of main characters are given strong, fulfilling arcs. Lots of things that were set up in the previous novel are now given fulfilling payoffs.

- Be aware, there are some unusual and oddball characters at work here. The There is a girl with 4 split personality, a man who is depressed and one who is into cutting, a conjoined twin with lots of verbal and physical ticks, one with autism who is non-verbal, and the main character herself has generalized anxiety disorder. It sounds like a freak-show, but their “mental illnesses” actually play into their unique powers. For instance, the character who is into cutting is a Painpusher, and can “move” the pain created in his body into somebody else, which is an awesome power to have.

- Amazing world-building that feels immersive and comes together organically. The wow-effect is huge in this fantasy world.
- Every aspect of storytelling is so much better than the first novel in the series, The Weaver of Odds, especially the plot, the world-building, the pacing and the magic systems
- The story felt incredibly immersive and fast-paced. I felt engaged through and through. There were scenes I was even in awe at what I was reading.

Weak spots in the story:

- I honestly can’t think of anything. The only thing I can say is a weak point is that the novel is LONG, about twice as long as the previous novel. Despite this, it didn’t feel long at all, and I felt very empty when it ended.
- If you’ve got a short attention span, this book isn’t for you. It’s got a lot of details, which all end up being important in the story.
]]> 4.80 The Book of Chaos (Vivian Amberville, #2)
author: Louise Blackwick
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.80
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2022/12/05
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: authors-on-my-watchlist, best-fantasy-novel, books-i-purchased-for-my-shelf, books-i-ve-really-enjoyed, dark-young-adult, epic-fantasy, epic-fantasy-like-harry-potter, fantasy, fantasy-authors-to-watch, fantasy-novels-with-a-unique-magic, favorites, should-win-an-award, mindfuck-fantasy-novels, original-magic-systems
review:
Unique selling points for “The Book of Chaos”:

- Completely original and unbelievably unique soft magic system(s). Just to give an example, people called Chaos Weavers can manipulate “abstract concepts” such as shadows, pain, and even reality itself. There is a Shadowstealer, a Realityshifter, a Darkbinder, a Painpusher, a Conceptbreaker, an Oddsweaver and so much more. There are also people who can weave threads of influence into the fabric of reality (Weavers), people who can rewrite history in a special type of ink and who can write people into stories (Scribes), people who can put words into your mind and watch them take over your mind (Reframers), people who can remove the thread tethering you to reality (Unwirer), etc.

- The part when the main character cuts reality into 2 subrealities, Chaos and Order - and the author shows that by cutting the page into two texts, detailing that transformation – should win an award.

- If you enjoyed Harry Potter, you’re going to LOVE this fantasy series. More mature and complex themes than the first book in the series. You can tell the author has grown artistically.

Strong spots in the story:

- The entire novel is an epic, psychedelic trip cranked up to 1000. It’s written like a woven tapestry, with its many storylines combining into a great grand picture. This is very appropriate, considering the novel’s subject-matter.
- The previous cast of main characters are given strong, fulfilling arcs. Lots of things that were set up in the previous novel are now given fulfilling payoffs.

- Be aware, there are some unusual and oddball characters at work here. The There is a girl with 4 split personality, a man who is depressed and one who is into cutting, a conjoined twin with lots of verbal and physical ticks, one with autism who is non-verbal, and the main character herself has generalized anxiety disorder. It sounds like a freak-show, but their “mental illnesses” actually play into their unique powers. For instance, the character who is into cutting is a Painpusher, and can “move” the pain created in his body into somebody else, which is an awesome power to have.

- Amazing world-building that feels immersive and comes together organically. The wow-effect is huge in this fantasy world.
- Every aspect of storytelling is so much better than the first novel in the series, The Weaver of Odds, especially the plot, the world-building, the pacing and the magic systems
- The story felt incredibly immersive and fast-paced. I felt engaged through and through. There were scenes I was even in awe at what I was reading.

Weak spots in the story:

- I honestly can’t think of anything. The only thing I can say is a weak point is that the novel is LONG, about twice as long as the previous novel. Despite this, it didn’t feel long at all, and I felt very empty when it ended.
- If you’ve got a short attention span, this book isn’t for you. It’s got a lot of details, which all end up being important in the story.

]]> <![CDATA[The Weaver of Odds (Vivian Amberville, #1)]]> 34209372 "As the Weaver, so is the Thread"

Vivian Amberville® is a bestselling philosophical fantasy book series about a girl whose imagination can reshape reality.

THE BOOK

First in the Vivian Amberville fantasy series, "The Weaver of Odds" introduces 13-year old Vivian to her unique if hazardous power of altering odds, outcomes and the very substance of reality.

The main protagonist, Vivian is an orphaned child who uncovers her imagination can influence certain events, and even twist reality into impossible shapes - a mind-over-matter ability called “Weaving”

But Vivian’s powers prove hazardous to keeping the universal balance. Beyond the fabric of reality, she finds herself in the custody of the original Weavers, thrown head-first into the most dangerous competition the multiverse has ever known: The Weaver Trials.

The universe that spanned millions of fans worldwide and captured readers imagination all around the world invites you to journey alongside unforgettable heroes you would want to take home. Fantasy like never told before: a mythical fiction of friendship and acceptance; of fate and free will; of destiny and despair; of extraordinary ordinary heroes and their reality-changing journeys.

SYNOPSIS

Vivian lives in a cage, in Ala Spuria's Shelter for Strays and has never tasted real food. When one of the other orphans gives Vivian hope, she discovers a hidden power to reshape her circumstances completely.

From the English town of Milton Keynes, Vivian discovers a neighbouring universe, where Alarian Weavers - an ancient race of powerful beings - have perfected a way of altering reality. By weaving Threads into the fabric of the cosmos, the Weavers strive to imprison freewill, banish Chaos and bring balance to cosmic reality.

Faced with a sudden hole in the Pattern of Threads that threatens to consume the substance of everything, it is up to 13-year-old Vivian Amberville to repair the damage. Believed to be a formidable weaver of odds and circumstances, Vivian must now attend the Weaver Trials and master the mysterious art of "Weaving into reality" in hope of preventing the impending apocalypse.

Together with her friends, Patricia Kate, Lucian Blossom and Acciper Sparrowhawk, Vivian stumbles upon terrible insights into her identity as she explores what lies beyond the fabric of reality.


GENRE: epic philosophical fantasy, Jungian allegory;
CATEGORY: young adult, coming of age, adventure voyage, social satire;
SETTING: double-dystopia: futuristic dystopia and fantasy world;
SUBJECTS: responsibility over the act of Creation, time travel, parallel universes, mind over matter, matter manipulation;
THEMES: free will vs. determinism, freedom and responsibility, the burden of being, death, friendship and sacrifice;
TAGS: post-apocalyptic, multiple realities, inter-dimensional travel, journey within;
]]> 296 Louise Blackwick 9492064073 Isabelle 5
- A grand and epic fantasy I found remarkably good and immersive
- Cool stuff, such as competing against alternate versions of yourself from parallel realities.
- The main character has a pretty unique ability, to control odds and circumstances
- The magic system was based on imagination
- There were elements in this novel that truly and utterly wowed me

Strong spots in the story:

- Huge open world and lovely, enchanting characters
- Good use of themes and story beats
- The main cast of characters were well-rounded and jumped off the page
- A very quotable story, with lots of little snippets of “philosophy”
- Lots of darkness but also lots of wholesomeness

Weak spots in the story:

- I could tell this was the author’s first full length novel. There were a few small details that felt superfluous.
- Some scenes felt a bit too dark and brutal for what you can expect from a Young Adult novel. Could be a strength, depending on what you’re looking for
- Pacing can be a bit off in the first half of the novel. It really gets going fast in the second half.
- The illiterate Martha Burlington, the lady running the orphanage/ Children Shelter/ Ala Spuria shelter for strays, was a bit of a one-dimensional character. I understand this is a dystopian world, destroyed by water, but sometimes she was cruel and sadistic to kids for no real reason.]]> 4.37 2017 The Weaver of Odds (Vivian Amberville, #1)
author: Louise Blackwick
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: fantasy-authors-to-watch, favorites, should-win-an-award, fantasy-novels-with-a-unique-magic, dark-young-adult, epic-fantasy-like-harry-potter, authors-on-my-watchlist, books-i-ve-really-enjoyed, books-i-purchased-for-my-shelf, epic-fantasy, fantasy, best-fantasy-novel
review:
Unique selling points for “The Weaver of Odds”:

- A grand and epic fantasy I found remarkably good and immersive
- Cool stuff, such as competing against alternate versions of yourself from parallel realities.
- The main character has a pretty unique ability, to control odds and circumstances
- The magic system was based on imagination
- There were elements in this novel that truly and utterly wowed me

Strong spots in the story:

- Huge open world and lovely, enchanting characters
- Good use of themes and story beats
- The main cast of characters were well-rounded and jumped off the page
- A very quotable story, with lots of little snippets of “philosophy”
- Lots of darkness but also lots of wholesomeness

Weak spots in the story:

- I could tell this was the author’s first full length novel. There were a few small details that felt superfluous.
- Some scenes felt a bit too dark and brutal for what you can expect from a Young Adult novel. Could be a strength, depending on what you’re looking for
- Pacing can be a bit off in the first half of the novel. It really gets going fast in the second half.
- The illiterate Martha Burlington, the lady running the orphanage/ Children Shelter/ Ala Spuria shelter for strays, was a bit of a one-dimensional character. I understand this is a dystopian world, destroyed by water, but sometimes she was cruel and sadistic to kids for no real reason.
]]> 5 Stars 59726028 _CAN YOU BEAT THE NEON GOD'S ALGORITHM?

Five days before the end of the world, a mother and her baby struggle to beat the Neon God’s Algorithm in order to secure a seat on the last shuttle leaving the planet.

SYNOPSIS

From the bestselling author of the Vivian Amberville® series comes the NEON SCIENCE-FICTION survival story of a mother and her baby facing impossible odds midst a global apocalypse. Set in a mad world overseen by “The Neon God”, the deceitful and ubiquitous digital hive-mind A.I. controlling the metropolis of New Vega, five people are made to compete for “Gold Stars” in hope of escaping their impending doom.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Five days before the inevitable end of humanity, five unlikely heroes find themselves on an impossible quest to outlive the apocalypse.

Aurora, Stella, Rolf, Tümay and Sorano must challenge themselves to beat the Neon God’s Algorithm in a crumbling, totalitarian, surveillance state complicated by crime, technology and civil unrest. Under the ubiquitous eye of the Neon God, they set out to collect “Gold Stars” – an elusive, difficult to obtain, merit-based currency – and secure a seat on the last shuttle to Luna.

In a desperate attempt to save her baby daughter, Aurora must navigate the Dark and do her utmost to survive the last technological remnants of a dying civilization.

GENRE: neon science-fiction, survival thriller;
SUBJECT: nature and technology, digital totalitarianism, meta-reality, social commentary, the nature of reality;
THEMES: inner and outer self, ideology vs. identity, will to survive, darkness and light, escapism, motherhood, love, sacrifice and redemption;
WORLD: futuristic totalitarian dystopia, global apocalypse, crumbling civilization.


Want to uncover more stories from the mind of Louise Blackwick? Visit her on her website! louiseblackwick.com]]> 216 Louise Blackwick Isabelle 5
- written in a completely new genre of sci-fi, “neon science-fiction”. And it really reads like a totally unique science-fiction story altogether. To me, this novel reads like a really, really good Black Mirror episode, or a Christopher Nolan movie. I actually had chills down my spine half the time.

- one of the best works from Blackwick, in my humble opinion. If you’re only going to read one work from her, read this one.

- this is one of those Orwellian novels we’re going to see happen some 2-3 decades from now. It reads as a cautionary tale about the digital age, the internet (the Neon God) and its behaviour-altering algorithm. It’s also a mind-blowing story about a simulation within a simulation within a simulation etc.

- the ending blew my mind and breaks the fourth wall completely, which is something I’ve never seen done in any novel. This is not done self-gratuitously, but has a clear, thematic purpose.
- even by sci-fi standards, the plot devices are one of the most original and brilliant I’ve seen. You get virtual glasses that alter your perception of reality, and play on your bias the more you wear them. You get Mind Prisons, Aerodynes, plasma katanas, giant mechanical spiders that climb over buildings and repair stuff (Daddy Long Legs), you get Jurors, people sent by the Neon God’s Algorithm to “bait you into doing something bad”, much like internet trolls. You get Nanochrome and you get the Dark, and so much more. And of course, you get the Neon God, judging your every move from behind millions of Black Screens.

- the Dark is probably the most unique play on the idea of a “shrinking arena” I’ve ever seen done in a simulation-type story. The Dark is this mysterious, intelligent, caustic darkness/ fog-of-war that has taken over the world and is used for bringing all the people inside the simulation together, at one spot on the map. But the Dark is also used as a hallucinogen, being mixed into foods, drinks and even music, making people get “high off the Dark”, which I found pretty amazing.

Strong spots in the story:

- The five characters (unknowingly) present in the simulation have amazing and truly well-executed character arcs.
- The plot-twists are numerous and one more mind-blowing than the next.
- The themes are brilliantly constructed and something else in this. This is something the author is known for. The message of the story cuts pretty deep and hits close to home.
- The world-building is rich. Once it got going, the novel read like a grand epic.
- One of the strongest endings in a work of fiction
Weak spots in the story:
- The novel has a somewhat slow start. This helps us get to know the main character and see the world through her eyes, but because she is trapped in a building with her baby, the initial world of the novel feels smaller than it really is
- At the very beginning of the novel, one of the male characters was acting annoyingly childish. This was part of a bigger twist, but since I didn’t know that until the end of the novel, I always assumed the character was written weakly. It wasn’t, but that one scene can deter the more impatient readers from understanding the greater scope of the novel.
- There is stuff that doesn’t make a ton of sense. Of course, that was just the idea of collision boxes and the “simulation breaking” but I didn’t know that at the beginning. This, again, might deter some readers from grasping the bigger picture.

Conclusion: Buy and read this book. It’s one of the best science-fiction novels I’ve read in forever.
]]> 4.62 5 Stars
author: Louise Blackwick
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.62
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2022/08/05
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: fantasy-authors-to-watch, neon-science-fiction, favorites, novels-written-in-a-new-genre, should-win-an-award, original-science-fiction, simulation-inside-a-simulation, best-mindfuck-science-fiction-novel
review:
Unique selling points for “5 Stars”:

- written in a completely new genre of sci-fi, “neon science-fiction”. And it really reads like a totally unique science-fiction story altogether. To me, this novel reads like a really, really good Black Mirror episode, or a Christopher Nolan movie. I actually had chills down my spine half the time.

- one of the best works from Blackwick, in my humble opinion. If you’re only going to read one work from her, read this one.

- this is one of those Orwellian novels we’re going to see happen some 2-3 decades from now. It reads as a cautionary tale about the digital age, the internet (the Neon God) and its behaviour-altering algorithm. It’s also a mind-blowing story about a simulation within a simulation within a simulation etc.

- the ending blew my mind and breaks the fourth wall completely, which is something I’ve never seen done in any novel. This is not done self-gratuitously, but has a clear, thematic purpose.
- even by sci-fi standards, the plot devices are one of the most original and brilliant I’ve seen. You get virtual glasses that alter your perception of reality, and play on your bias the more you wear them. You get Mind Prisons, Aerodynes, plasma katanas, giant mechanical spiders that climb over buildings and repair stuff (Daddy Long Legs), you get Jurors, people sent by the Neon God’s Algorithm to “bait you into doing something bad”, much like internet trolls. You get Nanochrome and you get the Dark, and so much more. And of course, you get the Neon God, judging your every move from behind millions of Black Screens.

- the Dark is probably the most unique play on the idea of a “shrinking arena” I’ve ever seen done in a simulation-type story. The Dark is this mysterious, intelligent, caustic darkness/ fog-of-war that has taken over the world and is used for bringing all the people inside the simulation together, at one spot on the map. But the Dark is also used as a hallucinogen, being mixed into foods, drinks and even music, making people get “high off the Dark”, which I found pretty amazing.

Strong spots in the story:

- The five characters (unknowingly) present in the simulation have amazing and truly well-executed character arcs.
- The plot-twists are numerous and one more mind-blowing than the next.
- The themes are brilliantly constructed and something else in this. This is something the author is known for. The message of the story cuts pretty deep and hits close to home.
- The world-building is rich. Once it got going, the novel read like a grand epic.
- One of the strongest endings in a work of fiction
Weak spots in the story:
- The novel has a somewhat slow start. This helps us get to know the main character and see the world through her eyes, but because she is trapped in a building with her baby, the initial world of the novel feels smaller than it really is
- At the very beginning of the novel, one of the male characters was acting annoyingly childish. This was part of a bigger twist, but since I didn’t know that until the end of the novel, I always assumed the character was written weakly. It wasn’t, but that one scene can deter the more impatient readers from understanding the greater scope of the novel.
- There is stuff that doesn’t make a ton of sense. Of course, that was just the idea of collision boxes and the “simulation breaking” but I didn’t know that at the beginning. This, again, might deter some readers from grasping the bigger picture.

Conclusion: Buy and read this book. It’s one of the best science-fiction novels I’ve read in forever.

]]> <![CDATA[The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness]]> 78427
Build up your money muscles with America's favorite finance coach.

Okay, folks, do you want to turn those fat and flabby expenses into a well-toned budget? Do you want to transform your sad and skinny little bank account into a bulked-up cash machine? Then get with the program, people. There's one sure way to whip your finances into shape, and that's with "The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition".

By now, you've heard all the nutty get-rich-quick schemes, the fiscal diet fads that leave you with a lot of kooky ideas but not a penny in your pocket. Hey, if you're tired of the lies and sick of the false promises, take a look at this--it's the simplest, most straightforward game plan for completely making over your money habits. And it's based on results, not pie-in-the-sky fantasies.

With "The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition," you'll be able to:
Design a sure-fire plan for paying off all debt--meaning cars, houses, everything
Recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths (these will kill you)
Secure a big, fat nest egg for emergencies and retirement!]]> 229 Dave Ramsey 0785289089 Isabelle 0 to-read 4.20 1994 The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
author: Dave Ramsey
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1994
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Public Speaking Bible; a Survival Guide for Standing on Stage]]> 55151129
Within this bible:

Technical advice: how to effortlessly project your voice, audience manipulation, crowd control, body language, hand gestures and more.

Additionally: a frank approach for overcoming stage fright, a foolproof recipe for memorising a speech, how to overcome a sore throat and using the physics of sound to your advantage.

Business advice: how to price your speech, approaching agencies, talking overseas, understanding unique selling points, the most complete list of global public speakers’ agencies and more.

Children’s author Marcus Alexander, once horrified by the thought of standing on stage, has grown to become one of the most sought-after school speakers. He’s delivered more than 1600 talks in 13 different countries and is booked 18 months in advance. The journey wasn’t easy; he’s tripped, fallen and blundered over every imaginable obstacle. This bible contains all the insights you need to create a similar career at a faster rate and with half the hiccups.

'Marcus doesn't just hold the stage he is the stage. Every word spoken is a sledge hammer pinning the audience to their seats.'
Adisa the Verbaliser, spoken poet and author.

'The first time I saw Marcus Alexander on stage was with a group of other authors. We all watched in amazement as he enthralled both the children and adults with his awesome energy. One of the best author events I have watched.'
Andy Briggs, author and scriptwriter.

Guest speakers sharing their advice include: best-selling author Chris Bradford, movement icon Dan Edwardes, British actor and producer Joey Ansah, author and teamwork specialist Casper Craven. Other guests include: surgeons, dentist lecturers, thespians, West End singers, polio advisers, educators and coaches.]]> 210 Marcus Alexander 0955891213 Isabelle 0 to-read 4.40 The Public Speaking Bible; a Survival Guide for Standing on Stage
author: Marcus Alexander
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.40
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Die Herren von Winterfell (Das Lied von Eis und Feuer, #1)]]> 8341706 545 George R.R. Martin Isabelle 5 4.23 1996 Die Herren von Winterfell (Das Lied von Eis und Feuer, #1)
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1996
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5, Part 1)]]> 1317181 'You are sharing the Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions. The Headmaster thinks it inadvisable for this to continue. He wishes me to teach you how to close your mind to the Dark Lord.'

Dark times have come to Hogwarts. After the Dementors' attack on his cousin Dudley, Harry Potter knows that Voldemort will stop at nothing to find him. There are many who deny the Dark Lord's return, but Harry is not alone: a secret order gathers at Grimmauld Place to fight against the Dark forces. Harry must allow Professor Snape to teach him how to protect himself from Voldemort's savage assaults on his mind. But they are growing stronger by the day and Harry is running out of time ...]]> 412 J.K. Rowling 185549664X Isabelle 5 4.61 2003 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5, Part 1)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2003
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> The Princess Bride 21787
As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the "good parts" reached his ears.

Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the "Good Parts Version" to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere.

What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex.

In short, it's about everything.]]> 429 William Goldman 0345418263 Isabelle 4 4.27 1973 The Princess Bride
author: William Goldman
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1973
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #1)]]> 9460487 9781594744761

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow-impossible though it seems-they may still be alive. A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.]]> 352 Ransom Riggs 1594744769 Isabelle 5 3.92 2011 Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #1)
author: Ransom Riggs
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)]]> 119322
Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors? This is Lyra: a savage, a schemer, a liar, and as fierce and true a champion as Roger or Asriel could want--but what Lyra doesn't know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other.]]> 399 Philip Pullman 0679879242 Isabelle 4 4.02 1995 The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)
author: Philip Pullman
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1995
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)]]> 13496
Sweeping from a harsh land of cold to a summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, A Game of Thrones tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; a child is lost in the twilight between life and death; and a determined woman undertakes a treacherous journey to protect all she holds dear. Amid plots and counter-plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, allies and enemies, the fate of the Starks hangs perilously in the balance, as each side endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.]]> 835 George R.R. Martin 0553588486 Isabelle 5 4.44 1996 A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.44
book published: 1996
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)]]> 186074
The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature.

A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.]]> 662 Patrick Rothfuss 075640407X Isabelle 5 4.52 2007 The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> Dune (Dune, #1) 44767458
When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.]]> 658 Frank Herbert 059309932X Isabelle 5 4.33 1965 Dune (Dune, #1)
author: Frank Herbert
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1965
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> Life of Pi 4214 460 Yann Martel 0770430074 Isabelle 5 3.94 2001 Life of Pi
author: Yann Martel
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2001
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> Memoirs of a Geisha 929
In "Memoirs of a Geisha," we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction - at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful - and completely unforgettable.]]> 503 Arthur Golden 1400096898 Isabelle 4 4.31 1997 Memoirs of a Geisha
author: Arthur Golden
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.31
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)]]> 61215351 One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.]]> 432 J.R.R. Tolkien Isabelle 5 4.52 1954 The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.52
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)]]> 1 652 J.K. Rowling Isabelle 5 4.57 2005 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)]]> 2
Harry has had enough. He is beginning to think he must do something, anything, to change his situation, when the summer holidays come to an end in a very dramatic fashion. What Harry is about to discover in his new year at Hogwarts will turn his world upside down...]]> 912 J.K. Rowling Isabelle 5 4.50 2003 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2003
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)]]> 136251
In this final, seventh installment of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling unveils in spectacular fashion the answers to the many questions that have been so eagerly awaited.]]> 759 J.K. Rowling Isabelle 5 4.61 2007 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2)]]> 968 This is an alternate cover for 9780307277671. Others can be found:
here, here, here, here, and here


While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. While working to solve the enigmatic riddle, Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci -- clues visible for all to see -- yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Langdon joins forces with a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, and learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion -- an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others.

In a breathless race through Paris, London, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu match wits with a faceless powerbroker who seems to anticipate their every move. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle in time, the Priory's ancient secret -- and an explosive historical truth -- will be lost forever.

The Da Vinci Code heralds the arrival of a new breed of lightning-paced, intelligent thriller utterly unpredictable right up to its stunning conclusion.]]> 489 Dan Brown Isabelle 4 3.92 2003 The da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2)
author: Dan Brown
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2003
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> The Girl on the Train 22557272
An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.]]> 336 Paula Hawkins 1594633665 Isabelle 5 3.97 2015 The Girl on the Train
author: Paula Hawkins
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)]]> 28187 Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena - Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.]]> 377 Rick Riordan 0786838655 Isabelle 5 4.31 2005 The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)
author: Rick Riordan
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2005
rating: 5
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]]> Charlotte’s Web 24178 Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's literature that is "just about perfect." This high-quality paperback features vibrant illustrations colorized by Rosemary Wells!

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.

E. B. White's Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come. This edition contains newly color illustrations by Garth Williams, the acclaimed illustrator of E. B. White's Stuart Little and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, among many other books.]]> 184 E.B. White 0064410935 Isabelle 5 4.20 1952 Charlotte’s Web
author: E.B. White
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1952
rating: 5
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]]> Wonder (Wonder, #1) 11387515 I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. Wonder, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others.]]> 315 R.J. Palacio 0375869026 Isabelle 5 4.34 2012 Wonder (Wonder, #1)
author: R.J. Palacio
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2012
rating: 5
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]]> Where the Wild Things Are 19543 38 Maurice Sendak 0099408392 Isabelle 5 4.25 1963 Where the Wild Things Are
author: Maurice Sendak
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1963
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket, #1)]]> 6310 (back cover)]]> 176 Roald Dahl 0142403881 Isabelle 4 4.16 1964 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket, #1)
author: Roald Dahl
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1964
rating: 4
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]]> Matilda 39988 “The Trunchbull” is no match for Matilda!

Matilda is a little girl who is far too good to be true. At age five-and-a-half she's knocking off double-digit multiplication problems and blitz-reading Dickens. Even more remarkably, her classmates love her even though she's a super-nerd and the teacher's pet. But everything is not perfect in Matilda's world...

For starters she has two of the most idiotic, self-centered parents who ever lived. Then there's the large, busty nightmare of a school principal, Miss ("The") Trunchbull, a former hammer-throwing champion who flings children at will, and is approximately as sympathetic as a bulldozer. Fortunately for Matilda, she has the inner resources to deal with such annoyances: astonishing intelligence, saintly patience, and an innate predilection for revenge.

Roald Dahl was a spy, ace fighter-pilot, chocolate historian, and medical inventor. He was also the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, and many more brilliant stories. He remains the World's No. 1 Storyteller.]]> 240 Roald Dahl 043512398X Isabelle 5 4.33 1988 Matilda
author: Roald Dahl
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1988
rating: 5
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]]> The Stranger 49552 The Stranger has long been considered a classic of twentieth-century literature. Le Monde ranks it as number one on its "100 Books of the Century" list. Through this story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on a sundrenched Algerian beach, Camus explores what he termed "the nakedness of man faced with the absurd."]]> 123 Albert Camus Isabelle 4 4.04 1942 The Stranger
author: Albert Camus
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1942
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1)]]> 2429135
An international publishing sensation, Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into one satisfyingly complex and entertainingly atmospheric novel.]]> 480 Stieg Larsson 0670069019 Isabelle 5 4.17 2005 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1)
author: Stieg Larsson
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2005
rating: 5
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]]> The Little Prince 157993
Few stories are as widely read and as universally cherished by children and adults alike as The Little Prince, presented here in a stunning new translation with carefully restored artwork. The definitive edition of a worldwide classic, it will capture the hearts of readers of all ages.]]> 96 Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 0152023984 Isabelle 5 4.32 1943 The Little Prince
author: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1943
rating: 5
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]]> Wuthering Heights 6185 You can find the redesigned cover of this edition HERE.

At the centre of this novel is the passionate love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff - recounted with such emotional intensity that a plain tale of the Yorkshire moors acquires the depth and simplicity of ancient tragedy.

This best-selling Norton Critical Edition is based on the 1847 first edition of the novel. For the Fourth Edition, the editor has collated the 1847 text with several modern editions and has corrected a number of variants, including accidentals. The text is accompanied by entirely new explanatory annotations.

New to the fourth Edition are twelve of Emily Bronte's letters regarding the publication of the 1847 edition of Wuthering Heights as well as the evolution of the 1850 edition, prose and poetry selections by the author, four reviews of the novel, and poetry selections by the author, four reviews of the novel, and Edward Chitham's insightful and informative chronology of the creative process behind the beloved work.

Five major critical interpretations of Wuthering Heights are included, three of them new to the Fourth Edition. A Stuart Daley considers the importance of chronology in the novel. J. Hillis Miller examines Wuthering Heights's problems of genre and critical reputation. Sandra M. Gilbert assesses the role of Victorian Christianity plays in the novel, while Martha Nussbaum traces the novel's romanticism. Finally, Lin Haire-Sargeant scrutinizes the role of Heathcliff in film adaptations of Wuthering Heights.

A Chronology and updated Selected Bibliography are also included.]]> 464 Emily Brontë Isabelle 3 3.89 1847 Wuthering Heights
author: Emily Brontë
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1847
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[Little Women (Little Women, #1)]]> 1934 This is an alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780451529305.

Generations of readers young and old, male and female, have fallen in love with the March sisters of Louisa May Alcott’s most popular and enduring novel, Little Women. Here are talented tomboy and author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, beautiful Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, united in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War.

It is no secret that Alcott based Little Women on her own early life. While her father, the freethinking reformer and abolitionist Bronson Alcott, hobnobbed with such eminent male authors as Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne, Louisa supported herself and her sisters with "woman’s work,” including sewing, doing laundry, and acting as a domestic servant. But she soon discovered she could make more money writing. Little Women brought her lasting fame and fortune, and far from being the "girl’s book” her publisher requested, it explores such timeless themes as love and death, war and peace, the conflict between personal ambition and family responsibilities, and the clash of cultures between Europe and America.

]]> 449 Louisa May Alcott Isabelle 5 4.16 1868 Little Women (Little Women, #1)
author: Louisa May Alcott
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1868
rating: 5
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]]> Fahrenheit 451 13079982 Sixty years after its original publication, Ray Bradbury’s internationally acclaimed novel Fahrenheit 451 stands as a classic of world literature set in a bleak, dystopian future. Today its message has grown more relevant than ever before.

Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known.]]> 194 Ray Bradbury Isabelle 5 3.97 1953 Fahrenheit 451
author: Ray Bradbury
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1953
rating: 5
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]]> The Great Gatsby 4671 The only edition of the beloved classic that is authorized by Fitzgerald’s family and from his lifelong publisher.

This edition is the enduring original text, updated with the author’s own revisions, a foreword by his granddaughter, and with a new introduction by National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward.

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. First published by Scribner in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.]]> 180 F. Scott Fitzgerald 0743273567 Isabelle 4 3.93 1925 The Great Gatsby
author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1925
rating: 4
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]]> To Kill a Mockingbird 2657 "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel - a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with exuberant humour the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina of one man's struggle for justice. But the weight of history will only tolerate so much.

"To Kill A Mockingbird" became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film.]]> 323 Harper Lee 0060935464 Isabelle 5 4.25 1960 To Kill a Mockingbird
author: Harper Lee
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1960
rating: 5
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]]> 1984 61439040
Alternate cover edition can be found here.]]> 368 George Orwell 0452284236 Isabelle 5 4.22 1949 1984
author: George Orwell
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1949
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter, #1)]]> 72193
]]> 223 J.K. Rowling Isabelle 5 4.45 1997 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter, #1)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.45
book published: 1997
rating: 5
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]]> The Fault in Our Stars 11870085
Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.]]> 313 John Green Isabelle 5 4.13 2012 The Fault in Our Stars
author: John Green
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2012
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life]]> 28257707 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780062457738

In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be "positive" all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.

For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. "F**k positivity," Mark Manson says. "Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it." In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected American society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.

Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—"not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault." Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.

There are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.]]> 212 Mark Manson Isabelle 5 3.87 2016 The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
author: Mark Manson
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2016
rating: 5
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]]> The Alchemist 18144590 The Alchemist has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations.

Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different—and far more satisfying—than he ever imagined. Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, most importantly, following our dreams.]]> 182 Paulo Coelho 0062315005 Isabelle 5 4.01 1988 The Alchemist
author: Paulo Coelho
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1988
rating: 5
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]]> The Secret (The Secret, #1) 52529 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781582701707.

The worldwide bestselling phenomenon that has helped millions tap the power of the law that governs all our lives to create—intentionally and effortlessly—a joyful life.

In 2006, a groundbreaking feature-length film revealed the great mystery of the universe—The Secret—and, later that year, Rhonda Byrne followed with a book that became a worldwide bestseller.

Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions, and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it.

In this book, you’ll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life—money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You’ll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that’s within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.

The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers—men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.]]> 199 Rhonda Byrne Isabelle 4 3.74 2006 The Secret (The Secret, #1)
author: Rhonda Byrne
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2006
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy]]> 998 CAN YOU SPOT THE MILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR?

Who are the rich in this country?

What do they do?

Where do they shop?

What do they drive?

How do they invest?

Where did their ancestors come from?

How did they get rich?

Can I ever become one of them?

Get the answers in The Millionaire Next Door, the never-before-told story about wealth in America. You'll be surprised at what you find out....

]]> 258 Thomas J. Stanley 0671015206 Isabelle 5 4.05 1995 The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy
author: Thomas J. Stanley
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.05
book published: 1995
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Power of Positive Thinking]]> 1134122 "This book is written with the sole objective of helping the reader achieve a happy, satisfying, and worthwhile life."

-- Norman Vincent Peale

The precursor to The Secret, The Power of Positive Thinking has helped millions of men and women to achieve fulfillment in their lives. In this phenomenal bestseller, Dr. Peale demonstrates the power of faith in action. With the practical techniques outlined in this book, you can energize your life -- and give yourself the initiative needed to carry out your ambitions and hopes. You'll learn how to:

Expect the best and get it

Believe in yourself and in everything you do

Develop the power to reach your goals

Break the worry habit and achieve a relaxed life

Improve your personal and professional relationships

Assume control over your circumstances

Be kind to yourself

]]> 128 Norman Vincent Peale 1416560610 Isabelle 4 4.13 1952 The Power of Positive Thinking
author: Norman Vincent Peale
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1952
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future]]> 25541028 392 Ashlee Vance 0062301233 Isabelle 2 4.11 2015 Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
author: Ashlee Vance
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2015
rating: 2
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]]> <![CDATA[Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days]]> 98233 456 Jessica Livingston 1590597141 Isabelle 4 4.02 2001 Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days
author: Jessica Livingston
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2001
rating: 4
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]]> Business Model Generation 7723797
1) Change the way you think about business models

Business Model Generation will teach you powerful and practical innovation techniques used today by leading companies worldwide. You will learn how to systematically understand, design, and implement a new business model or analyze and renovate an old one.

2) Co-created by 470 strategy practitioners

Business Model Generation practices what it preaches. Co-authored by 470 Business Model Canvas practitioners from 45 countries, the book was financed and produced independently of the traditional publishing industry. It features a tightly-integrated, visual, lie-flat design that enables immediate hands-on use.

3) Designed for doers

Business Model Generation is for those ready to abandon outmoded thinking and embrace new, innovative models of value creation: executives, consultants, entrepreneurs and leaders of all organizations.]]> 273 Alexander Osterwalder 2839906171 Isabelle 3 4.20 2010 Business Model Generation
author: Alexander Osterwalder
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2010
rating: 3
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]]> <![CDATA[The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future]]> 12605157  
“Thoughtful, funny, and compulsively readable, this guide shows how ordinary people can build solid livings, with independence and purpose, on their own terms.”—Gretchen Rubin, author of the #1  New York Times  bestseller  The Happiness Project
 
Still in his early thirties, Chris Guillebeau completed a tour of every country on earth and yet he’s never held a “real job” or earned a regular paycheck. Rather, he has a special genius for turning ideas into income, and he uses what he earns both to support his life of adventure and to give back. 
 
Chris identified 1,500 individuals who have built businesses earning $50,000 or more from a modest investment (in many cases, $100 or less), and focused on the 50 most intriguing case studies. In nearly all cases, people with no special skills discovered aspects of their personal passions that could be monetized, and were able to restructure their lives in ways that gave them greater freedom and fulfillment.
 
Here, finally, distilled into one easy-to-use guide, are the most valuable lessons from those who’ve learned how to turn what they do into a gateway to self-fulfillment. It’s all about finding the intersection between your “expertise”—even if you don’t consider it such—and what other people will pay for.  You don’t need an MBA, a business plan or even employees. All you need is a product or service that springs from what you love to do anyway, people willing to pay, and a way to get paid.
 
Not content to talk in generalities, Chris tells you exactly how many dollars his group of unexpected entrepreneurs required to get their projects up and running; what these individuals did in the first weeks and months to generate significant cash; some of the key mistakes they made along the way, and the crucial insights that made the business stick. Among Chris’s key principles: If you’re good at one thing, you’re probably good at something else; never teach a man to fish— sell  him the fish instead; and in the battle between planning and action, action wins.
 
In ancient times, people who were dissatisfied with their lives dreamed of finding magic lamps, buried treasure, or streets paved with gold. Today, we know that it’s up to us to change our lives. And the best part is, if we change our  own  life, we can help others change  theirs.  This remarkable book will start you on your way.]]> 268 Chris Guillebeau 0307951529 Isabelle 5 3.89 2012 The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future
author: Chris Guillebeau
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2012
rating: 5
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]]> Rework 6732019
Rework shows you a better, faster, easier way to succeed in business. Read it and you'll know why plans are actually harmful, why you don't need outside investors, and why you're better off ignoring the competition. The truth is, you need less than you think. You don't need to be a workaholic. You don't need to staff up. You don't need to waste time on paperwork or meetings. You don't even need an office. Those are all just excuses. 

What you really need to do is stop talking and start working. This book shows you the way. You'll learn how to be more productive, how to get exposure without breaking the bank, and tons more counterintuitive ideas that will inspire and provoke you.

With its straightforward language and easy-is-better approach, Rework is the perfect playbook for anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing it on their own. Hardcore entrepreneurs, small-business owners, people stuck in day jobs they hate, victims of "downsizing," and artists who don’t want to starve anymore will all find valuable guidance in these pages.]]> 279 Jason Fried 0307463745 Isabelle 5 3.97 2010 Rework
author: Jason Fried
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2010
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality]]> 7696135 How the world's leading innovators push their ideas to fruition again and again

Edison famously said that genius is 1 percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration. Ideas for new businesses, solutions to the world's problems, and artistic breakthroughs are common, but great execution is rare.

According to Scott Belsky, the capacity to make ideas happen can be developed by anyone willing to develop their organizational habits and leadership capability. That's why he founded Behance, a company that helps creative people and teams across industries develop these skills.

Belsky has spent six years studying the habits of creative people and teams that are especially productive-the ones who make their ideas happen time and time again. After interviewing hundreds of successful creatives, he has compiled their most powerful-and often counterintuitive-practices, such as:

•Generate ideas in moderation and kill ideas liberally
•Prioritize through nagging
•Encourage fighting within your team

While many of us obsess about discovering great new ideas, Belsky shows why it's better to develop the capacity to make ideas happen-a capacity that endures over time.]]> 256 Scott Belsky 159184312X Isabelle 5 4.08 2010 Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality
author: Scott Belsky
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2010
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[The Hare With Amber Eyes: A Family's Century of Art and Loss]]> 7821828 The Ephrussis were a grand banking family, as rich and respected as the Rothschilds, who “burned like a comet” in nineteenth-century Paris and Vienna society. Yet by the end of World War II, almost the only thing remaining of their vast empire was a collection of 264 wood and ivory carvings, none of them larger than a matchbox.

The renowned ceramicist Edmund de Waal became the fifth generation to inherit this small and exquisite collection of netsuke. Entranced by their beauty and mystery, he determined to trace the story of his family through the story of the collection.

The netsuke—drunken monks, almost-ripe plums, snarling tigers—were gathered by Charles Ephrussi at the height of the Parisian rage for all things Japanese. Charles had shunned the place set aside for him in the family business to make a study of art, and of beautiful living. An early supporter of the Impressionists, he appears, oddly formal in a top hat, in Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party. Marcel Proust studied Charles closely enough to use him as a model for the aesthete and lover Swann in Remembrance of Things Past.

Charles gave the carvings as a wedding gift to his cousin Viktor in Vienna; his children were allowed to play with one netsuke each while they watched their mother, the Baroness Emmy, dress for ball after ball. Her older daughter grew up to disdain fashionable society. Longing to write, she struck up a correspondence with Rilke, who encouraged her in her poetry.

The Anschluss changed their world beyond recognition. Ephrussi and his cosmopolitan family were imprisoned or scattered, and Hitler’s theorist on the “Jewish question” appropriated their magnificent palace on the Ringstrasse. A library of priceless books and a collection of Old Master paintings were confiscated by the Nazis. But the netsuke were smuggled away by a loyal maid, Anna, and hidden in her straw mattress. Years after the war, she would find a way to return them to the family she’d served even in their exile.

In The Hare with Amber Eyes, Edmund de Waal unfolds the story of a remarkable family and a tumultuous century. Sweeping yet intimate, it is a highly original meditation on art, history, and family, as elegant and precise as the netsuke themselves.

]]> 368 Edmund de Waal 0374105979 Isabelle 4 3.95 2010 The Hare With Amber Eyes: A Family's Century of Art and Loss
author: Edmund de Waal
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2010
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity]]> 6162567 When Hugh MacLeod was a struggling young copywriter living in a YMCA, he started to doodle on the backs of business cards while sitting at a bar. Those cartoons eventually led to a popular blog-gapingvoid.com-and a reputation for pithy insight and humor, in both words and pictures.MacLeod has opinions on everything from marketing to the meaning of life, but one of his main subjects is creativity. How do new ideas emerge in a cynical, risk-averse world? Where does inspiration come from? What does it take to make a living as a creative person?Ignore Everybody expands on MacLeod's sharpest insights, wittiest cartoons, and most useful advice. For example:-Selling out is harder than it looks. Diluting your product to make it more commercial will just make people like it less.-If your plan depends on you suddenly being "discovered" by some big shot, your plan will probably fail. Nobody suddenly discovers anything. Things are made slowly and in pain.-Don't try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether. There's no point trying to do the same thing as 250,000 other young hopefuls, waiting for a miracle. All existing business models are wrong. Find a new one.-The idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to be yours. The sovereignty you have over your work will inspire far more people than the actual content ever will.After learning MacLeod's forty keys to creativity, you will be ready to unlock your own brilliance and unleash it on the world.]]> 159 Hugh MacLeod 159184259X Isabelle 4 4.06 2009 Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity
author: Hugh MacLeod
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2009
rating: 4
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]]> Chopsticks 10710392
But nothing is what it seems, and Glory's reality is not reality at all. In this stunningly moving novel told in photographs, pictures, and words, it's up to the reader to decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along....]]> 272 Jessica Anthony 1595144358 Isabelle 4 3.84 2012 Chopsticks
author: Jessica Anthony
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2012
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece]]> 27398 The artist was Caravaggio, a master of the Italian Baroque. He was a genius, a revolutionary painter, and a man beset by personal demons. Four hundred years ago, he drank and brawled in the taverns and streets of Rome, moving from one rooming house to another, constantly in and out of jail, all the while painting works of transcendent emotional and visual power. He rose from obscurity to fame and wealth, but success didn't alter his violent temperament. His rage finally led him to commit murder, forcing him to flee Rome a hunted man. He died young, alone, and under strange circumstances.

Caravaggio scholars estimate that between sixty and eighty of his works are in existence today. Many others -- no one knows the precise number -- have been lost to time. Somewhere, surely, a masterpiece lies forgotten in a storeroom, or in a small parish church, or hanging above a fireplace, mistaken for a mere copy.

Jonathan Harr embarks on a journey to discover the long-lost painting known as The Taking of Christ -- its mysterious fate and the circumstances of its disappearance have captivated Caravaggio devotees for years. After Francesca Cappelletti stumbles across a clue in that dusty archive, she tracks the painting across a continent and hundreds of years of history. But it is not until she meets Sergio Benedetti, an art restorer working in Ireland, that she finally manages to assemble all the pieces of the puzzle.

]]> 320 Jonathan Harr 0375759867 Isabelle 4 3.87 2005 The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece
author: Jonathan Harr
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2005
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Andy Goldsworthy: A Collaboration with Nature]]> 60431 128 Andy Goldsworthy 0810933519 Isabelle 4 4.01 1990 Andy Goldsworthy: A Collaboration with Nature
author: Andy Goldsworthy
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1990
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Anatomy for the Artist (Spiral Edition)]]> 327246 342 Jenő Barcsay 1402735421 Isabelle 5 4.11 1953 Anatomy for the Artist (Spiral Edition)
author: Jenő Barcsay
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.11
book published: 1953
rating: 5
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]]> The Natural Way to Draw 3061 240 Kimon Nicolaïdes 0395530075 Isabelle 4 4.00 1941 The Natural Way to Draw
author: Kimon Nicolaïdes
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1941
rating: 4
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]]> Drawing from Memory 11391817 Caldecott Medalist Allen Say presents a stunning graphic novel chronicling his journey as an artist during WWII, when he apprenticed under Noro Shinpei, Japan’s premier cartoonist

DRAWING FROM MEMORY is Allen Say's own story of his path to becoming the renowned artist he is today. Shunned by his father, who didn't understand his son's artistic leanings, Allen was embraced by Noro Shinpei, Japan's leading cartoonist and the man he came to love as his "spiritual father." As WWII raged, Allen was further inspired to consider questions of his own heritage and the motivations of those around him. He worked hard in rigorous drawing classes, studied, trained--and ultimately came to understand who he really is.

Part memoir, part graphic novel, part narrative history, DRAWING FROM MEMORY presents a complex look at the real-life relationship between a mentor and his student. With watercolor paintings, original cartoons, vintage photographs, and maps, Allen Say has created a book that will inspire the artist in all of us.

]]> 64 Allen Say 0545176867 Isabelle 4 3.98 2011 Drawing from Memory
author: Allen Say
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2011
rating: 4
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]]> <![CDATA[Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo]]> 91767
Here is the tumultuous life of an extraordinary twentieth-century woman -- with illustrations as rich and haunting as her legend.]]> 528 Hayden Herrera 0060085894 Isabelle 5 4.01 1983 Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo
author: Hayden Herrera
name: Isabelle
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1983
rating: 5
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]]> <![CDATA[Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative]]> 13099738 160 Austin Kleon 0761169253 Isabelle 3 3.95 2012 Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
author: Austin Kleon
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2012
rating: 3
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]]> The Story of Art 222078 KEY TOPICS: Focuses on the most significant works of Western art. Considers each work of art in its context: shows how art reflects the historical setting, the artist's intentions, and the values of that civilization, and how each artist built upon, or sometimes reacted against, the style of his/her predecessors. Contains chronological charts, maps, and notes on art books. Illustrates all works that are discussed. Features a new design with each illustration appearing on the same spread as the narrative that discusses it.]]> 688 E.H. Gombrich 071483355X Isabelle 5 3.96 1950 The Story of Art
author: E.H. Gombrich
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1950
rating: 5
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]]> Ways of Seeing 2784 John Berger’s Classic Text on Art

Ways of Seeing is one of the most stimulating and the most influential books on art in any language. First published in 1972, it was based on the BBC television series about which the (London) Sunday Times a critic commented: "This is an eye-opener in more ways than one: by concentrating on how we look at paintings . . . he will almost certainly change the way you look at pictures." By now he has.

"Berger has the ability to cut right through the mystification of the professional art critics . . . He is a liberator of images: and once we have allowed the paintings to work on us directly, we are in a much better position to make a meaningful evaluation" —Peter Fuller, Arts Review

"The influence of the series and the book . . . was enormous . . . It opened up for general attention to areas of cultural study that are now commonplace" —Geoff Dyer in Ways of Telling.]]> 176 John Berger 0140135154 Isabelle 4 3.93 1972 Ways of Seeing
author: John Berger
name: Isabelle
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1972
rating: 4
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