March is officially over, so it's time for a run down of all the awesome books I got in the mail this month. It was a kind of slow month for book mail for me (but the year got off to a rather slow start for Goodreads wins too, so that's probably why.) In spite of that, I got some really awesome books in this month. Without further ado, here they are.
Mind Shift by Don Sweatt
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
This book attempts to address the subject of physical training as it relates to health and fitness from a both philosophical and pedagogical perspective. In that, the current popularization of fitness seems at odds with its original intent; which was the cultivation of the mind-body and spirit ( an internal manifestation of intent) through the systematic practice of a discipline such as yoga, martial arts, gymnastics or dance or a training program specifically designed to prepare an athlete for sports participation-track and field, basketball, football, etc., which required the participant to have mastered the basic physical prerequisites-good posture, balance, coordination, agility, suppleness, command of basic calisthenics, and kinesthetic awareness, necessary for high levels of performance while minimizing the risk of injuries. This book's premise is about making a mind shift from the current definition and practice of physical fitness as portrayed by many popular fitness media personalities, health and fitness magazines and many big box health clubs, to one in which the acquisition of physical fitness is likened to the study of the martial arts where one follows the path, or commonly referred as the way or (Dao). The characters depicted in the book, though their backgrounds may differ, follow a physical fitness similar in fashion. A regimen that owes much of its origin to ancient Chinese martial arts, calisthenics (body weight training) propagated by the ancient Greek athletes and the physical cultural movement of the mid 1800's to early 1900's that took place here in the United States and in parts of Europe. The aforementioned had a common philosophy. And that was physical training, whether for the purely aesthetic, muscular strength, athletics, or general good health, should be systematic, progressive, efficient, and most important work. In other words, progress that is validated through observation-well coordinated fluid movements, better stability (balance), improved posture and aesthetics. And measurable-able to successfully perform a series of basic strength to body weight tests: pull ups, dips, push-ups, sprints with perfect form. Hopefully, in some small way, the stories in this book about characters striving to achieve physical mastery of a discipline or engaging in a challenging free form of movement for the sheer delight of it, will give the reader pause the next time he or she hears about the latest exercise gimmick or gizmo or the next must have fitness celebrities' workout DVD. And maybe, just maybe, they'd be on the verge of a mind shift.
Presidential Intentions by Douglas J. Wood
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
An overachiever who is driven by an ambition to succeed, Samantha Harrison has set out to be the first woman president in United States history. With her devoted husband Ben behind her, she begins her campaign with Zachary Watts, a determined campaign manager with questionable ethics. As her campaign begins to take shape, Samantha is forced to deal with a crumbling home life as she continues her quest to hold the highest office in the land. Forced to decide what she's willing to lose to win, Samantha's choices will ultimately determine who's standing beside her in the end. Highlighting Samantha's personal conflicts and burning desire to win, Presidential Intentions creates a gripping political drama that examines the personal cost of realizing her dream. With an innocent naivety on the human capacity for evil and certain blindness to the things around her, Samantha might achieve her goal; however, she might never truly know what it costs her. A mesmerizing and thought-provoking look into the interior of U.S. politics, this complex novel has a lasting appeal that will keep readers thinking long after the book is through. Written for anyone interested in politics or the rise of women, Presidential Intentions appeals to political junkies everywhere as well as anyone immersed in women's issues in business and politics. The first book of its kind to profile a woman presidential candidate's life, this engrossing story tells the story of the sacrifice required in the quest to become the first woman president in American history.
This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
This is how a family keeps a secret…and how that secret ends up keeping them.
This is how a family lives happily ever after…until happily ever after becomes complicated.
This is how children change…and then change the world.
This is Claude. He’s five years old, the youngest of five brothers, and loves peanut butter sandwiches. He also loves wearing a dress, and dreams of being a princess.
When he grows up, Claude says, he wants to be a girl.
Rosie and Penn want Claude to be whoever Claude wants to be. They’re just not sure they’re ready to share that with the world. Soon the entire family is keeping Claude’s secret. Until one day it explodes.
This Is How It Always Is is a novel about revelations, transformations, fairy tales, and family. And it’s about the ways this is how it always is: Change is always hard and miraculous and hard again, parenting is always a leap into the unknown with crossed fingers and full hearts, children grow but not always according to plan. And families with secrets don’t get to keep them forever.
This is how a family lives happily ever after…until happily ever after becomes complicated.
This is how children change…and then change the world.
This is Claude. He’s five years old, the youngest of five brothers, and loves peanut butter sandwiches. He also loves wearing a dress, and dreams of being a princess.
When he grows up, Claude says, he wants to be a girl.
Rosie and Penn want Claude to be whoever Claude wants to be. They’re just not sure they’re ready to share that with the world. Soon the entire family is keeping Claude’s secret. Until one day it explodes.
This Is How It Always Is is a novel about revelations, transformations, fairy tales, and family. And it’s about the ways this is how it always is: Change is always hard and miraculous and hard again, parenting is always a leap into the unknown with crossed fingers and full hearts, children grow but not always according to plan. And families with secrets don’t get to keep them forever.
Glimpse by W.D. Tuck
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
We contain so much.
You, me, all of us. We’re so full of mysteries, dreams, and potential, that we each carry an entire world inside. And every day, we offer part of it to the people in our lives. A glimpse. We exchange glimpses with one another. Glimpses that are powerful and life-changing.
This book collection is about the glimpses that have shaped my life. It’s written with the belief that many of us share similar feelings, so if you recognize yourself in these pages, this book is for you. It’s for the moments we’ve dared to love, dared to dream, the moments we’ve felt alone, and like we don’t fit in. It’s for the moments of hope. And for the special people in our lives who dare us to offer more than a glimpse.
A combination of poetry, true stories, and essays, Glimpse is the journey of a child who feels unworthy in the world. It’s the true love story of a chance meeting between lonely strangers right before a hurricane is set to hit New York City. It’s one man’s attempt to honor women and his relationship. And it’s an exploration of beauty, and what makes something beautiful.
It’s a glimpse of me, but it might be a glimpse of you too.
You, me, all of us. We’re so full of mysteries, dreams, and potential, that we each carry an entire world inside. And every day, we offer part of it to the people in our lives. A glimpse. We exchange glimpses with one another. Glimpses that are powerful and life-changing.
This book collection is about the glimpses that have shaped my life. It’s written with the belief that many of us share similar feelings, so if you recognize yourself in these pages, this book is for you. It’s for the moments we’ve dared to love, dared to dream, the moments we’ve felt alone, and like we don’t fit in. It’s for the moments of hope. And for the special people in our lives who dare us to offer more than a glimpse.
A combination of poetry, true stories, and essays, Glimpse is the journey of a child who feels unworthy in the world. It’s the true love story of a chance meeting between lonely strangers right before a hurricane is set to hit New York City. It’s one man’s attempt to honor women and his relationship. And it’s an exploration of beauty, and what makes something beautiful.
It’s a glimpse of me, but it might be a glimpse of you too.
The Unleashed by Bentz Deyo
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
Leam Holt has done the unthinkable. He’s saved Harbing from utter destruction by consuming the toxin that was intended for the entire town and he’s rescued Eloa’s father from a prison cell under Darkness Headquarters.
But at what cost? Stricken by the poison and unable to remember who he is or access his Light side, Leam is captured by the evil Gideon and brought in for interrogation and training. Surrounded by Darkness, Leam revels in his undiluted Dark power and connects with other violent and corrupt kids, especially the bold and gorgeous Rylan. Still, Leam tries to piece together memories about his past, including those of Eloa, who he discovers is in grave danger.
While Sebastian and the forces of Light work to free Leam from the grasp of the poison and Gideon, the world is thrown into turmoil from exposure to the toxin. The battle for control over the prospect, the person who will lead the world into complete Darkness or Light, is heating up, and Leam’s role in the war grows murkier.
But at what cost? Stricken by the poison and unable to remember who he is or access his Light side, Leam is captured by the evil Gideon and brought in for interrogation and training. Surrounded by Darkness, Leam revels in his undiluted Dark power and connects with other violent and corrupt kids, especially the bold and gorgeous Rylan. Still, Leam tries to piece together memories about his past, including those of Eloa, who he discovers is in grave danger.
While Sebastian and the forces of Light work to free Leam from the grasp of the poison and Gideon, the world is thrown into turmoil from exposure to the toxin. The battle for control over the prospect, the person who will lead the world into complete Darkness or Light, is heating up, and Leam’s role in the war grows murkier.
Grandfather and the Moon by Stephanie LaPointe and Roge
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
This moving graphic novel tells the story of the affection between a girl and her grandfather. When the grandfather withdraws in grief after his wife dies, the girl is determined to live life fully herself and enters an extraordinary contest — the result is a sensitive portrayal of pursuing a dream.
Grandfather, a man of few words, is devastated when his beloved wife succumbs to cancer, and he sinks into depression. His granddaughter (“MarMar,” as he calls her) has a different response. She decides to enter the Who Will Go to the Moon Contest, and when she actually wins, she hopes that Grandfather will be proud of her. She embarks on the thrilling journey and at first it is wonderful, but just as she is about to reach the moon, her journey takes an unexpected turn.
Written by Stéphanie Lapointe and beautifully illustrated by Rogé, this imaginative graphic novel explores intergenerational relationships, love, death, dreams and illusions.
Grandfather, a man of few words, is devastated when his beloved wife succumbs to cancer, and he sinks into depression. His granddaughter (“MarMar,” as he calls her) has a different response. She decides to enter the Who Will Go to the Moon Contest, and when she actually wins, she hopes that Grandfather will be proud of her. She embarks on the thrilling journey and at first it is wonderful, but just as she is about to reach the moon, her journey takes an unexpected turn.
Written by Stéphanie Lapointe and beautifully illustrated by Rogé, this imaginative graphic novel explores intergenerational relationships, love, death, dreams and illusions.
Surround Me by Marguerite Martin Gray
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
As the dark curtain of the rumors of revolution threatens to descend, Louis Lestarjette pursues his relationship with Elizabeth even as the emotional and physical struggles set the course for a life of changes. Will his commitment to God stay firm, or will the tide of change cause fear and flight?
The chance of reconciliation with England moves further out to sea, leaving Elizabeth Elliott on the shores of surrender to a greater challenge. Although others of unwavering courage give her strength, she must choose to allow God's love to surround her. How can she enter into a marriage during a time of uncertainty? Will selfish, safer options take her away from Louis and his love?
Set in 1773 Charles Town, Surround Me, the sequel to Hold Me Close, takes the reader into the lives of colonists confronting imminent change and unpredictable circumstances binding them together to become a formidable force.
The chance of reconciliation with England moves further out to sea, leaving Elizabeth Elliott on the shores of surrender to a greater challenge. Although others of unwavering courage give her strength, she must choose to allow God's love to surround her. How can she enter into a marriage during a time of uncertainty? Will selfish, safer options take her away from Louis and his love?
Set in 1773 Charles Town, Surround Me, the sequel to Hold Me Close, takes the reader into the lives of colonists confronting imminent change and unpredictable circumstances binding them together to become a formidable force.
You Don't Look Your Age...and Other Fairy Tales by Sheila Nevins
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
For readers of Nora Ephron, Anna Quindlen, and even Lena Dunham, comes a collection of stories and essays about what women of a certain age have learned sometimes the hard way.
In You Don t Look Your Age, Sheila Nevins has put together an incredibly surprising, funny and poignant collection of short stories, essays, and poetry that, taken together, tell not only her life story but the life stories of a generation of women.
Nevins has seen it all. A famed documentary producer (many credit her with creating the modern documentary) Nevins has always been behind the scenes. But now it s time for her to take center stage. Nevinswas stopped at every path as a girlfriend, during motherhood, and with her career. . You Don t Look Your Age is Nevins chance to tell how things really were, and are, for countless women. Topics she tackles are: frenemies, infidelity, plastic surgery, dieting, Viagra, the heartbreak of young first love, the discomforts of growing old, and a celebration in the long run of what life has to offer.
With biting humor, charm, deep insight, wisdom, and surprising poignancy, Nevins has written that rare book that will be shared between mothers and daughters and even granddaughters.
In You Don t Look Your Age, Sheila Nevins has put together an incredibly surprising, funny and poignant collection of short stories, essays, and poetry that, taken together, tell not only her life story but the life stories of a generation of women.
Nevins has seen it all. A famed documentary producer (many credit her with creating the modern documentary) Nevins has always been behind the scenes. But now it s time for her to take center stage. Nevinswas stopped at every path as a girlfriend, during motherhood, and with her career. . You Don t Look Your Age is Nevins chance to tell how things really were, and are, for countless women. Topics she tackles are: frenemies, infidelity, plastic surgery, dieting, Viagra, the heartbreak of young first love, the discomforts of growing old, and a celebration in the long run of what life has to offer.
With biting humor, charm, deep insight, wisdom, and surprising poignancy, Nevins has written that rare book that will be shared between mothers and daughters and even granddaughters.
Hallelujah Dave by David Valdez
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
A boy of Mexican immigrants has an unusual gift, the recollection of his birth. As he grows up in Middle America, he is rocked between mischief and love, elation and despair. He becomes entangled in the hippie movement of the '60s. Later, in the midst of his chemistry studies at the University of Illinois, he becomes ensnarled in the Vietnam antiwar movement. It is there, in high school and college, where his life goals are crystallized and he maps out his life. There are things that he must do and must become. Yet somehow, impacting him are three short letters he received in his life and a chance meeting that changes everything. Though he tries, he cannot escape his future. It was made with hands bigger than his own.
Somebody Like You by Donna Alward
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
A kiss to last a lifetime
Aiden Gallagher was only five years old when he appeared in a photograph on the Kissing Bridge. The town of Darling, Vermont, has used Aiden’s image on the famed bridge—local legend has it that a kiss there results in everlasting love—as part of its tourism campaign. Now, twenty years later, Aiden is asked to recreate the moment with the woman he once kissed: Laurel Stone.
Recently divorced, there’s nothing Laurel wants less than to pretend happily-ever-after with Aiden. As teenagers, their romance was no fairy tale—and Laurel has never quite forgiven Aiden for breaking her heart. But now that she is back in her hometown, and keeps bumping into police officer Aiden, Laurel can’t deny that there’s still a strong flicker between her and her old flame. Could it be that the Kissing Bridge is working its magic on Laurel and Aiden—and that all true love ever needed was a second chance?
Aiden Gallagher was only five years old when he appeared in a photograph on the Kissing Bridge. The town of Darling, Vermont, has used Aiden’s image on the famed bridge—local legend has it that a kiss there results in everlasting love—as part of its tourism campaign. Now, twenty years later, Aiden is asked to recreate the moment with the woman he once kissed: Laurel Stone.
Recently divorced, there’s nothing Laurel wants less than to pretend happily-ever-after with Aiden. As teenagers, their romance was no fairy tale—and Laurel has never quite forgiven Aiden for breaking her heart. But now that she is back in her hometown, and keeps bumping into police officer Aiden, Laurel can’t deny that there’s still a strong flicker between her and her old flame. Could it be that the Kissing Bridge is working its magic on Laurel and Aiden—and that all true love ever needed was a second chance?
We Shall Overcomb by Davor Ratkovic
Synopsis
This coloring book is for adults only. It gets a little sweary because, well…we all have to deal with this debacle somehow.
#theresistance lives. We’ll never give up hope or cease demanding the return to decency.
In this book you’ll find 42 single sided, original works of art that are designed to reduce stress and help us cope.
Whether you’ve been protesting, arguing with idiots at work or online, or just ready to pull your hair out...here’s your new Zen.
Here’s a list of what you’ll find inside:
- This Pussy Has Claws
- Not MY President!
- Fuck Trump
- Love Trumps Hate
- Impeachment Watch
- Resist the Furor
- Power to the People
- We Shall Overcomb
- Stay Woke
- Real Men Are Feminists
- Grab Him By His (tiny) Balls
- Electile Dysfunction
- Mandate My ASS
- Civil Disobedience
- Ban Bigotry
- America Weeps
- Defend Dignity
- Not My Cheeto
- Michelle 2020
- Build Bridges Not Walls
- Gay Rights ARE Human Rights
- It’s Nacho Uterus
- President Twitler
- Yuge Mistake
- Anti Trump Resistance
- Still With Her
- Country of Kindness
- Toddler Trump
- No Fascist USA
- Refuse Misogyny
- Hope Not Hate
- Dumb Donald
- Sociopath in Chief
- Tiny Hands
- Trumptards
- Fight Racism
- Traitor Trump
- We Won the Popular Vote
- Dump Trump
- Trumpocalypse
- Make America LOVE Again
- Deport Hate Not People
Get your hands on the much needed How to Survive the Presidency of the Angry Cheeto: #THERESISTANCE, The Anti Trump Adult Coloring Book today.
Divah by Susannah Appelbaum
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
Eloise meets Rosemary's Baby in New York City’s very own Carlyle hotel.
Seventeen-year-old Itzy Nash is spending the summer at the exclusive Carlyle hotel in New York City. But the hotel harbors more than the rich and privileged; it is host to a gorgeous fallen angel, reclusive movie stars, and—Itzy soon learns—demons of the worst sort. When the Queen of the Damned checks in, all Hell breaks loose. Itzy is called upon to save herself—and all of humanity—from the ravages of the Underworld. There’s only one problem: Itzy’s possessed.
Part gothic thriller, part historical fiction, the novel straddles the Upper East Side and the lush trappings of the Carlyle hotel, and Paris during the Reign of Terror in 1789. Marie Antoinette is the Queen of the Damned. Marilyn Monroe is an expert demon hunter. To kill a demon, Hermès scarves, Evian water, and a guillotine are the weapons of choice.
Seventeen-year-old Itzy Nash is spending the summer at the exclusive Carlyle hotel in New York City. But the hotel harbors more than the rich and privileged; it is host to a gorgeous fallen angel, reclusive movie stars, and—Itzy soon learns—demons of the worst sort. When the Queen of the Damned checks in, all Hell breaks loose. Itzy is called upon to save herself—and all of humanity—from the ravages of the Underworld. There’s only one problem: Itzy’s possessed.
Part gothic thriller, part historical fiction, the novel straddles the Upper East Side and the lush trappings of the Carlyle hotel, and Paris during the Reign of Terror in 1789. Marie Antoinette is the Queen of the Damned. Marilyn Monroe is an expert demon hunter. To kill a demon, Hermès scarves, Evian water, and a guillotine are the weapons of choice.
Le Chant Des Sirènes by J.R. Rogue
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
"My bleeding heart,
my open vein,
a feast for the gulls
of this storm born world.
& I weep openly,
for if they read my tears
they will know I am real."
One year after releasing her debut collection of poetry, La Douleur Exquise, J. R. Rogue returns with Le Chant Des Sirènes, which translates to The Siren's Song.
Inspired by the stars, the sea, sirens, mermaids, and seduction, Le Chant Des Sirènes offers a distinctly different voice than Rogue's previous publications.
my open vein,
a feast for the gulls
of this storm born world.
& I weep openly,
for if they read my tears
they will know I am real."
One year after releasing her debut collection of poetry, La Douleur Exquise, J. R. Rogue returns with Le Chant Des Sirènes, which translates to The Siren's Song.
Inspired by the stars, the sea, sirens, mermaids, and seduction, Le Chant Des Sirènes offers a distinctly different voice than Rogue's previous publications.
White Sand, Blue Sea by Anita Hughes
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
Olivia Miller is standing on the porch of her mother and stepfather's plantation style villa in St. Barts. They have been coming here every April for years but she is always thrilled to see the horseshoe shaped bay of Gustavia and white sand of Gouverneur's Beach. This trip should be particularly exciting because she is celebrating her twenty-fifth birthday and hoping that Finn, her boyfriend of four years, will propose.
The only person who won't be here is her father, Sebastian, who she hasn’t seen in twenty years. He’s a well-known artist and crisscrosses the globe, painting and living in exotic locations like Kenya and China. When Sebastian walks unexpectedly walks through the door and floats back into Olivia’s life like a piece of bad driftwood she never knew she wanted, she starts to wondering if her world is too narrow. She questions the dreams and the relationship she’s always thought she wanted. But there seems to be more to the story than an innocent fatherly visit, and Olivia must decide if love is more important than truth.
Set on St. Barts, the jewel of the Caribbean, WHITE SAND, BLUE SEA is a heartwarming story about romance and adventure, and most importantly, about knowing yourself, and what makes you happy.
The only person who won't be here is her father, Sebastian, who she hasn’t seen in twenty years. He’s a well-known artist and crisscrosses the globe, painting and living in exotic locations like Kenya and China. When Sebastian walks unexpectedly walks through the door and floats back into Olivia’s life like a piece of bad driftwood she never knew she wanted, she starts to wondering if her world is too narrow. She questions the dreams and the relationship she’s always thought she wanted. But there seems to be more to the story than an innocent fatherly visit, and Olivia must decide if love is more important than truth.
Set on St. Barts, the jewel of the Caribbean, WHITE SAND, BLUE SEA is a heartwarming story about romance and adventure, and most importantly, about knowing yourself, and what makes you happy.
Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
A WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER
While no single conversation is guaranteed to change the trajectory of a career, a company, a relationship, or a life, any single conversation can.
In this revised edition of Fierce Conversations the bestselling classic guide to getting your message across and getting what you want master teacher and leader Susan Scott gives you the tools to transform the conversations central to your success, and teaches you how to fiercely and honestly cut through the noise and clutter. You ll learn how to:
Overcome barriers to meaningful conversations
Handle strong emotions on both sides of the table
Expand and enrich your most valuable currency: relationships
Increase clarity and improve understanding
Catalyze creativity, problem solving, and passion
Connect with colleagues, customers, and family at a deep level
It s time to change the conversation.
While no single conversation is guaranteed to change the trajectory of a career, a company, a relationship, or a life, any single conversation can.
In this revised edition of Fierce Conversations the bestselling classic guide to getting your message across and getting what you want master teacher and leader Susan Scott gives you the tools to transform the conversations central to your success, and teaches you how to fiercely and honestly cut through the noise and clutter. You ll learn how to:
Overcome barriers to meaningful conversations
Handle strong emotions on both sides of the table
Expand and enrich your most valuable currency: relationships
Increase clarity and improve understanding
Catalyze creativity, problem solving, and passion
Connect with colleagues, customers, and family at a deep level
It s time to change the conversation.
The Actor Uncovered by Michael Howard
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
The Actor Uncovered is certainly not a set of rigid rules advocating one “method” or one singular “truth.” Departing from the common guidebook format, Michael Howard uses a unique approach to teaching acting, reflecting on his own history and sharing his own experiences as an actor, director, and teacher. How he writes about the process and craft of acting is at once intensely personal and relatable by others.
Readers are invited to participate as though present in this master teacher’s classes. Each human being, and thus each actor, is unique. Howard encourages actors to uncover their own ways of working, using their particular abilities and personality traits. Going beyond the craft and into human psychology, the history of acting, and acting’s importance as a life force, The Actor Uncovered offers readers new and deeper ways to study and practice, to be introspective, and to arrive at places of revelation about their craft.
The Actor Uncovered will have much to say to beginners, to those who are advanced, and to the professional and working actor. Howard discusses such topics as:
Techniques, styles, and methods in a changing society
Relaxation, concentration, and the breath
The relationship between actor and director and writer
Memory
On camera versus on stage
Obstacles
After more than seventy years as a professional in acting and theater, Howard shows how living creatively and invoking one’s own personality can lead to a successful career as an actor.
Readers are invited to participate as though present in this master teacher’s classes. Each human being, and thus each actor, is unique. Howard encourages actors to uncover their own ways of working, using their particular abilities and personality traits. Going beyond the craft and into human psychology, the history of acting, and acting’s importance as a life force, The Actor Uncovered offers readers new and deeper ways to study and practice, to be introspective, and to arrive at places of revelation about their craft.
The Actor Uncovered will have much to say to beginners, to those who are advanced, and to the professional and working actor. Howard discusses such topics as:
Techniques, styles, and methods in a changing society
Relaxation, concentration, and the breath
The relationship between actor and director and writer
Memory
On camera versus on stage
Obstacles
After more than seventy years as a professional in acting and theater, Howard shows how living creatively and invoking one’s own personality can lead to a successful career as an actor.
Crushed by Ginna Moran
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
After discovering a life-altering secret that brings her closer to Hell than ever, seventeen-year-old Cami Anders must adjust to a new life full of possibilities she never imagined.
Giving up a life on the run in exchange for protection from the Hunter’s Alliance was an easy decision for Cami to make. Training with the best hunters guarantees that she will soon have the strength to defeat the demon who killed her parents. The only problem? She might not have a chance to reach her full potential as more secrets come to light, threatening to unravel everything she’s fought for.
Finding her life in more danger than ever, Cami makes an unthinkable deal that sends her life spiraling down a path straight toward evil. One wrong step means she could lose not only her life but also her soul. Is Cami strong enough to resist the darkness or is she destined for Hell?
Giving up a life on the run in exchange for protection from the Hunter’s Alliance was an easy decision for Cami to make. Training with the best hunters guarantees that she will soon have the strength to defeat the demon who killed her parents. The only problem? She might not have a chance to reach her full potential as more secrets come to light, threatening to unravel everything she’s fought for.
Finding her life in more danger than ever, Cami makes an unthinkable deal that sends her life spiraling down a path straight toward evil. One wrong step means she could lose not only her life but also her soul. Is Cami strong enough to resist the darkness or is she destined for Hell?
Haunted by Ginna Moran
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
After a devastating sacrifice leaves seventeen-year-old Cami Anders’ life in ruins, she must figure out how to pick up the pieces of her world and carry on with her second chance at life. But moving on isn’t so easy when the past comes back to haunt her, sending her running again—except this time, demons aren’t chasing her.
Determined to make a fresh start, Cami and her friends turn away from demon hunting to help those affected by demons and unprotected by the Hunter’s Alliance. As Cami immerses herself deeper into the Veiled Realm, new revelations have her questioning her entire existence. She finds safety with those she once feared—all while trying to make a difference in a world that no longer feels so wrong.
When an unthinkable act of betrayal forces Cami to face the enemies of her past, she must decide what’s worth more—saving the life of an innocent, saving her future, or saving her soul.
Determined to make a fresh start, Cami and her friends turn away from demon hunting to help those affected by demons and unprotected by the Hunter’s Alliance. As Cami immerses herself deeper into the Veiled Realm, new revelations have her questioning her entire existence. She finds safety with those she once feared—all while trying to make a difference in a world that no longer feels so wrong.
When an unthinkable act of betrayal forces Cami to face the enemies of her past, she must decide what’s worth more—saving the life of an innocent, saving her future, or saving her soul.
O Unholy Nights by Ginna Moran
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
This is a Christmas-themed short story collection featuring the stories: Deck the Halls with Demon Guts, Demonic Wonderland, and Angel Kisses and Christmas Wishes. It is highly recommended to read the first book in the Demon Within series before diving into this anthology.
Deck the Halls with Demon Guts
The holidays are Hell for fifteen-year-old Cami Anders since she’s on the run from a demon out for her soul. After moving to a California mountain town, Cami’s holiday season turns from boring to terrifying when she stumbles upon a half-dead boy on the side of the road with his own demonic problems.
Unable to leave the boy to his fate, Cami convinces her guardian and former demon hunter, Alana O’Neil, to help him. What was supposed to be an uneventful, peaceful night turns into one with danger, demons, and an unexpected visitor. Can Cami manage to find Christmas cheer, or will she discover there is no such thing as a Christmas miracle?
Demonic Wonderland
Fighting a demon on Christmas Eve instead of celebrating the holiday season is nothing new for seventeen-year-old Evan Whiteshaw. After rescuing a human girl from a fate bound for Hell, Evan and his partner, David, call upon an angelic friend to handle the situation. With the arrival of Dylan comes news that they’d been hoping to hear for more than a year.
There’s nothing in the world that Evan wants more than to help his partner find his runaway wife, who also happens to be protecting a demon-hunted girl he could never get off his mind. With no better way to spend Christmas, Evan follows David on a wild goose chase in hopes of reuniting their family. What he finds isn’t what he imagined, and he discovers that he’s not the only one in need of a Christmas miracle.
Angel Kisses and Christmas Wishes
Returning home to her small desert town for the holidays wasn’t exactly how sixteen-year-old Cadence Dubois imagined spending her Christmas. But when her father is called away on Hunter’s Alliance business, she refuses to let her grandmother—the woman who raised her—spend the holidays alone.
When she arrives, an unexpected visitor charms his way into Cadence’s world with the flash of ethereal wings and an irresistible smile—but Cadence knows better than to fall for a nephilim. She doesn’t want anything to get in the way of her destiny of becoming a demon hunter, and a night with a half-angel could do just that.
Before Cadence gets wrapped up in angelic wings, an unwelcome demon threatens to ruin Christmas. When all her years of training suddenly seem useless amid a demon encounter, Cadence must decide if demon hunting is really her destiny or if she has another calling.
Deck the Halls with Demon Guts
The holidays are Hell for fifteen-year-old Cami Anders since she’s on the run from a demon out for her soul. After moving to a California mountain town, Cami’s holiday season turns from boring to terrifying when she stumbles upon a half-dead boy on the side of the road with his own demonic problems.
Unable to leave the boy to his fate, Cami convinces her guardian and former demon hunter, Alana O’Neil, to help him. What was supposed to be an uneventful, peaceful night turns into one with danger, demons, and an unexpected visitor. Can Cami manage to find Christmas cheer, or will she discover there is no such thing as a Christmas miracle?
Demonic Wonderland
Fighting a demon on Christmas Eve instead of celebrating the holiday season is nothing new for seventeen-year-old Evan Whiteshaw. After rescuing a human girl from a fate bound for Hell, Evan and his partner, David, call upon an angelic friend to handle the situation. With the arrival of Dylan comes news that they’d been hoping to hear for more than a year.
There’s nothing in the world that Evan wants more than to help his partner find his runaway wife, who also happens to be protecting a demon-hunted girl he could never get off his mind. With no better way to spend Christmas, Evan follows David on a wild goose chase in hopes of reuniting their family. What he finds isn’t what he imagined, and he discovers that he’s not the only one in need of a Christmas miracle.
Angel Kisses and Christmas Wishes
Returning home to her small desert town for the holidays wasn’t exactly how sixteen-year-old Cadence Dubois imagined spending her Christmas. But when her father is called away on Hunter’s Alliance business, she refuses to let her grandmother—the woman who raised her—spend the holidays alone.
When she arrives, an unexpected visitor charms his way into Cadence’s world with the flash of ethereal wings and an irresistible smile—but Cadence knows better than to fall for a nephilim. She doesn’t want anything to get in the way of her destiny of becoming a demon hunter, and a night with a half-angel could do just that.
Before Cadence gets wrapped up in angelic wings, an unwelcome demon threatens to ruin Christmas. When all her years of training suddenly seem useless amid a demon encounter, Cadence must decide if demon hunting is really her destiny or if she has another calling.
Scorned by Ginna Moran
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
After a devastating betrayal forces seventeen-year-old Cami Anders to accept a future she had never imagined, she learns how exhilarating life can be without the hassle of the world weighing her down. Cami turns her back on those who’ve wronged her and now faces a future with unlimited power, but at what expense? In the Veiled Realm, everything comes with a price.
When an unwelcome visitor threatens to break the imaginary wall she built to protect her soul, Cami finds herself drowning in a wave of unbidden emotions, and it makes her feel more alive than ever. But feeling alive reminds her of everything that was stolen from her, everything that she had lost. It reminds her that it isn’t only Hell that wants her soul.
Torn between the people she loves and the world she must fight for, Cami must make the ultimate decision—one that could destroy her life, her soul, and her entire world in the end.
When an unwelcome visitor threatens to break the imaginary wall she built to protect her soul, Cami finds herself drowning in a wave of unbidden emotions, and it makes her feel more alive than ever. But feeling alive reminds her of everything that was stolen from her, everything that she had lost. It reminds her that it isn’t only Hell that wants her soul.
Torn between the people she loves and the world she must fight for, Cami must make the ultimate decision—one that could destroy her life, her soul, and her entire world in the end.
Revived by Ginna Moran
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Straddling the line between Heaven and Hell, seventeen-year-old Cami Anders never thought she’d find herself in Purgatory again. As demons rise to rule humanity, Cami faces a seemingly impossible task—to right the balance in the world before the most powerful demons create a new Hell on earth, one that they want her to be a part of.
Now faced with the ultimate decision, Cami must decide if the world that has wronged her is worth fighting for. Because saving humanity could not only mean she’ll lose her chance at the eternity of her making, but it could also mean that she must give up those she loves. Is she strong enough to take a stand against both Heaven and Hell, or is she doomed to make the most devastating sacrifice?
Now faced with the ultimate decision, Cami must decide if the world that has wronged her is worth fighting for. Because saving humanity could not only mean she’ll lose her chance at the eternity of her making, but it could also mean that she must give up those she loves. Is she strong enough to take a stand against both Heaven and Hell, or is she doomed to make the most devastating sacrifice?
Recalibrate by Yvette Gavin
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Recalibrate is a roadmap with a wealth of information on how to conduct an effective job search or make the most of the job you have. It holds tools Yvette Gavin has used to advance her personal career and the secrets she has successfully taught her clients on how to achieve their dream salaries and desired jobs. Whether you're looking to move up the corporate ladder, starting a new job search due to a layoff, or entering the workforce for the first time, Recalibrate lays a course for you through the recruiting and hiring landscape and assists you in securing your dream job.
Il Vero Italiano by Keith Preble and Francesco Rossi
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
This guide to speaking “real” Italian will examine six integral parts of speech in Italian: verb, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions and interjections. Each chapter features a grammatical overview of the part of speech and then takes a look at some important words and phrases related to that part of speech. Based on the popular blog, Parola del Giorno, this book features easy to follow explanations on some complex grammar topics while helping you learn new words and phrases and providing a thorough and complete explanation of how Italian language is really used. This book is best suited for advanced beginner/intermediate to advanced students.
The Little Old Lady Who Struck Lucky Again! by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
In the sequel to internationally-bestselling Swedish author Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg’s The Little Old Lady Who Broke All The Rules, the League of Pensioners are up to their old tricks, this time swindling the biggest Vegas casinos, outsmarting a gang of young robbers, and evading the Swedish police in the name of elderly pensioners everywhere—perfect for fans of A Man Called Ove and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…unless you’re in the League of Pensioners!
Martha Andersson and her friends are at it again. Having left behind their restrictive senior home in Stockholm, the gang is off to make it big in the bright lights and big money of The Strip. Armed with electric wheelchairs and some well-placed helium balloons, Martha, The Genius, The Rake, Christina, and Anna-Gretta are ready to take a Vegas casino for all it’s worth, cashing in on their new favorite pastime: white collar crime.
But they aren’t the only ones looking to outsmart Vegas security systems. The League finds itself inadvertently mired in a diamond robbery and face to face with a gang of young—but dangerous—criminals.
Working together they may have gotten the jewels and cash through airport security, but now that they’re back home will they be able to outfox the robbers and keep the Swedish police at bay? Or will this be one heist too many for the League of Pensioners?
This clever, witty, and devilishly fun sequel to The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules delights and probes by turns, and reminds us that we’re never too old for a little mischief.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…unless you’re in the League of Pensioners!
Martha Andersson and her friends are at it again. Having left behind their restrictive senior home in Stockholm, the gang is off to make it big in the bright lights and big money of The Strip. Armed with electric wheelchairs and some well-placed helium balloons, Martha, The Genius, The Rake, Christina, and Anna-Gretta are ready to take a Vegas casino for all it’s worth, cashing in on their new favorite pastime: white collar crime.
But they aren’t the only ones looking to outsmart Vegas security systems. The League finds itself inadvertently mired in a diamond robbery and face to face with a gang of young—but dangerous—criminals.
Working together they may have gotten the jewels and cash through airport security, but now that they’re back home will they be able to outfox the robbers and keep the Swedish police at bay? Or will this be one heist too many for the League of Pensioners?
This clever, witty, and devilishly fun sequel to The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules delights and probes by turns, and reminds us that we’re never too old for a little mischief.
Beautiful Hero by Jennifer H. Lau
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| Photo Credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
With only half a canteen of water and one baby bottle, a family of eight fought for their lives in the killing fields and land mines of Cambodia.
Surrounded by unimaginable adverse forces, one strong woman would ultimately lead her entire family to survive. Beautiful Hero is an autobiographical narrative told from a daughter’s perspective. The story centers around Meiyeng, the eponymous Beautiful Hero, and her innate ability to sustain everyone in her family.
Meiyeng’s acumen in solving problems under extreme circumstances is thought-provoking and awe-inspiring. She shepherded her entire family through starvation, diseases, slavery and massacres in war-torn Cambodia to forge a new life in America.
Over two million people—a third of the country’s population—fell victim to a devastating genocide in Cambodia. The rise of the Khmer Rouge posed not merely a single challenge to survival, but rather a series of nightmarish obstacles that required constant circumvention, outmaneuvering, and exceptional fortitude from those few who would survive the regime intact. The story suspensefully unravels the layers of atrocity and evil unleashed upon the people, providing a clear view of this horrific and violent time of the Cambodian revolution.
The book highlights the most basic impulses of man: good vs. evil, individual vs. group, democracy vs. tyranny, and life vs. death. It is the ultimate story of love, sacrifice, survival, and redemption—and lives pushed to the limits. It reaffirms the good in humanity by showing how one family lived and survived with grace and dignity.
(No details were spared from the narrative, but the language of the text and all of its most graphic scenes have been filtered for all audiences.)
Surrounded by unimaginable adverse forces, one strong woman would ultimately lead her entire family to survive. Beautiful Hero is an autobiographical narrative told from a daughter’s perspective. The story centers around Meiyeng, the eponymous Beautiful Hero, and her innate ability to sustain everyone in her family.
Meiyeng’s acumen in solving problems under extreme circumstances is thought-provoking and awe-inspiring. She shepherded her entire family through starvation, diseases, slavery and massacres in war-torn Cambodia to forge a new life in America.
Over two million people—a third of the country’s population—fell victim to a devastating genocide in Cambodia. The rise of the Khmer Rouge posed not merely a single challenge to survival, but rather a series of nightmarish obstacles that required constant circumvention, outmaneuvering, and exceptional fortitude from those few who would survive the regime intact. The story suspensefully unravels the layers of atrocity and evil unleashed upon the people, providing a clear view of this horrific and violent time of the Cambodian revolution.
The book highlights the most basic impulses of man: good vs. evil, individual vs. group, democracy vs. tyranny, and life vs. death. It is the ultimate story of love, sacrifice, survival, and redemption—and lives pushed to the limits. It reaffirms the good in humanity by showing how one family lived and survived with grace and dignity.
(No details were spared from the narrative, but the language of the text and all of its most graphic scenes have been filtered for all audiences.)
And that's all the books I got in the mail in the month of March. I think I'm most excited to read You Don't Look Your Age...and Other Fairy Tales, although I was most excited to receive the five books from Ginna Moran (I've already read them though.) They have some rather spectacular inscriptions that you will be able to see in the nearish future if you follow me on Instagram. Which of these books are you most interested in reading my review on? - Katie
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