I spy Fiction

Which book are you going to pick up today to read?

Don’t they all look so good?

I may want to read all of them……
although I have quite a few other books that are telling me to read them now.

The Owens family has been cursed in matters of love for over three-hundred years but all of that is about to change. The novel begins in a library, the best place for a story to be conjured, when beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the deathwatch beetle and knows she has only seven days to live. Jet is not the only one in danger—the curse is already at work.

A frantic attempt to save a young man’s life spurs three generations of the Owens women, and one long-lost brother, to use their unusual gifts to break the curse as they travel from Paris to London to the English countryside where their ancestor Maria Owens first practiced the Unnamed Art. The younger generation discovers secrets that have been hidden from them in matters of both magic and love by Sally, their fiercely protective mother. As Kylie Owens uncovers the truth about who she is and what her own dark powers are, her aunt Franny comes to understand that she is ready to sacrifice everything for her family, and Sally Owens realizes that she is willing to give up everything for love.

Welcome to Little Bridge, one of the smallest, most beautiful islands in the Florida Keys.

Jo Wright always swore she’d never step foot on Little Bridge Island—not as long as her nemesis, bestselling author Will Price, is living there.

Then Jo’s given an offer she can’t refuse: an all-expense paid trip to speak and sign at the island’s first ever book festival.

Even though arrogant Will is the last person Jo wants to see, she could really use the festival’s more-than-generous speaking fee. She’s suffering from a crippling case of writer’s block on the next installment of her bestselling children’s series, and her father needs financial help as well.

Then Jo hears that Will is off-island on the set of the film of his next book. Hallelujah!

But when she arrives on Little Bridge, Jo is in for a shock: Will is not only at the book festival, but seems genuinely sorry for his past actions—and more than willing not only to make amends, but prove to Jo that he’s a changed man.

Things seem to be looking up—until disaster strikes, causing Jo to wonder: Do any of us ever really know anyone?

Back in high school, Lily Wang wanted to be popular, but she considered herself lucky to be part of a tight group of oddballs and honors students called the Nerd Herd. Now, at twenty-eight, she feels like she’s finally on the cusp of succeeding as a beauty influencer―if she can hit five million subscribers, brands will take notice and she could get her own makeup line.

Fellow Nerd Herd alum Tobin Bui has had a lot of success as a YouTube gamer. But the road to online stardom has been rocky. First, he disappointed his parents by dropping out of college, and now, after years of pranks, skits, and playthroughs, he’s struggling to come up with new content to satisfy his ever-growing fan base. His agents say he needs cross-audience appeal, a new twist.

When Nerd Herd frenemy Lily approaches Tobin about teaming up to do a video to bolster her brand and reinvigorate his, he agrees. But when their first collab video goes viral, their relationship heats up too. With the whole internet watching, will these two former misfits finally realize they’re perfect together?

A firebird is reborn on the borders of Russia, a gate to a world of monsters and magic is breaking, and only a reluctant, untrained shaman stands in the way of a flood of supernatural darkness…

Anya is still reeling from the death of her grandfather when a strange encounter with the Finnish God of the Dead changes her life forever: Her family has been guarding the gates to the Russian otherworld on their farm for centuries, and she’s the new gatekeeper. Worse, if she doesn’t awaken her magical abilities and assume her new role, the gate will break, unleashing a flood of monsters and dark gods into their world.

As Anya struggles to make sense of her changing world, she can’t deny the strange encounters. She’ll need to accept her fate and work with the legendary firebird if she hopes to survive—and protect humanity.

At nineteen, Auris Afton Grieg has led an . . . unusual life. Since the age of fifteen, she has been trapped in a sinister prison. Why? She does not know. She has no memories of her past beyond the vaguest of impressions. All she knows is that she is about to age out of the children’s prison, and rumors say that the adult version is far, far worse. So she and some friends stage a desperate escape into the surrounding wastelands. And it is here that Auris’s journey of discovery begins, for she is rescued by an unusual stranger who claims to be Fae—a member of a magical race that Auris had thought to be no more than legend. Odder still, he seems to think that she is one as well, although the two look nothing alike. But strangest of all, when he brings her to his wondrous homeland, she begins to suspect that he is right. Yet how could a woman who looks entirely human be a magical being herself?

Death needs a vacation. Badly. But there’s a catch: There are people who cheat the system, always falling through the cracks and not dying like they’re supposed to. Who’s going to take care of them while Death’s sipping on sangria?

The answer is simple: Death needs an intern, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that one prospect, Buck Palasinksia—a bankrupt hitman with a roleplaying addiction—might have what it takes. While scoping out his next target, Buck gets drilled in the forehead by a bullet and falls right into Death’s lap.

If they shove him back into his body, he’ll have a few weeks to prove that he has what it takes to be Death’s right-hand.

All he has to do is take out Public Enemy No. 1, John Dillinger, and quit smoking.

I spy Youth fiction books

I thought these two books were rather interesting!

Check them out.

Surrounded by her large family, Loma is happy living in the judería of Alcalá de Henares, Spain, and wants nothing more than to someday have a family of her own.

Still, when her intimidating grandfather, her Belo, decides to bring her along on his travels, she’s excited to join him. Belo has the ear of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, and Loma relishes her adventures with him, adventures that are beyond the scope of most girls of the time. She soon learns just how dangerous the world is for the Jews of Spain, and how her grandfather’s influence keeps their people safe.

But the older Loma gets, the more she longs to realize her own dreams—if Belo will ever allow her to leave his side.

Sometimes you make a friend,
and it feels like you have known that friend your entire life. . . .

Hedgehog lives on a teeny-tiny island with only her stuffed dog, Mutty, for company. When a great storm carries Mutty away, she embarks on a quest to find her friend. Following the trail of clues Mutty left behind, brave Hedgehog meets a wiggly Mole, a wordy Owl, a curmudgeonly Beaver, a scatterbrained Hen and Chicks, and a girl who’s new to the neighborhood, Annika May. With bravery and teamwork, there’s nothing that can stop these seven from finding Mutty, but along the way they discover something even more important: each other.

Quick Reviews

A Quick Review:

Both stories had great story lines that kept me interested in what was going to happen!  Vampires, drama, snarky comments, and a bit a hot romance is what made these books tick.  Each character had different vibes.  Some connected and some did not.   Both main characters: Anna and Elspbeth are fighters in their own ways.   Now that I think about it even Wyatt and Finn are a tiny bit similar too.  These books were quick reads for me.

I have always read these types of books since high school.  Sometimes the stories have the same feel to them.  I am always curious how authors come up stories regarding to vampires and romance.  It is my thing. I like when the stories just flow with the connections between characters.  I don’t like it when it is forced, it just throws me off where I won’t even finish the book.    These two books were great!

I have read Lynsay Sands books before.  Molly Harper was new to me and it was lovely!  If you are curious about these books, read the summaries below.

Twi

  • Print Length: 389 pages
  • Publisher: Avon
  • Publication Date: March 27, 2018
  • Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
  • AuthorLynsay Sands

Summary:

For someone who’s been around for over a hundred and forty years, immortal Elspeth Argeneau hasn’t done a whole lot of living. Now that she’s moved away from her controlling mother, she’s tracking down rogue vampires and enjoying some overdue freedom. A fling would be fun. A life mate can wait. Yet to Elspeth’s surprise, her landlady’s hot grandson checks both boxes.

Wyatt fell instantly in love with Elspeth four years ago. He’s stunned to run into her again, especially as she has no memory of him. Then again, there are a lot of things about Elspeth that don’t make sense, like the miraculous speed with which her wounds heal. And the chemistry that transforms every touch into an explosion of desire. But with mysterious “accidents” besieging Elspeth, the ex-Special Forces soldier appoints himself her bodyguard. But time is running out to uncover the truth about her enemies—and rediscover the man determined to love her for eternity.

Where

  • Author: Molly Harper
  • Publication Date : July 26, 2016
  • Publisher : Pocket Books
  • Print Length : 305 pages 

Summary:

Delivering a rare book to a valued customer is definitely part of mild-mannered archivist Anna Whitfield’s job description. You know what isn’t? Protecting her precious cargo from mid-flight theft by the very pilot who is flying her to Half-Moon Hollow…while trying to appear as unappetizing as possible to the only other passenger, a vampire. Undead bookstore owner Jane Jameson could be waiting a very long time for her book. Possibly forever.

Fortunately, Anna’s dashing fanged companion Finn Palmeroy helps her fend off the attack, but not before their plane crash lands in the forest hundreds of miles from civilization. Great, now she’s stranded with a priceless tome and a rakish vampire whose bedtime is fast approaching. Why does everyone want this book so badly, anyway? Anna just wants to get it to Jane before Finn decides to turn her into dinner—or sweep her off her feet. Okay, the second option is really tempting. But they’re not out of the woods yet…

Top Ten Signs: you are a book lover

I saw some book bloggers (Evelyn Reads)  (Bookloversblog) post about their top ten signs of being a book lover.  I decided to join the wagon.    I am trying to keep myself busy with a bunch of things but it does not alway work out and plus I’m taking care of my two kids.

So here are my ten signs that you are a book lover.

  1. You are always updating a book list.
    This is so true for me. I am always updating my to read list with new books.
  2. A book is always by your side.
    A book is always near my bed, in my room, at my work, or in my bag.  There is a book to be found near me.
  3. You are reading more than one book.
    I have done this many times.  One moment I’m into this book and then switch it to this one.  Stories rule.
  4. If you get a chance to browse for books you do it at a bookstore.
    Bookstores are so fun. I remember there used to be more than one bookstore and I would go to all of them in search of certain books.  Bookstores are life.
  5. If you get a chance to go to your library, you end up brining a book home.
    This is so true for me. I work at a library (well not right now but..you get the idea)  and I will bring a book home.  If I browse at my local library you bet I’ll bring a book home too.
  6. You follow authors and publishers online for more updates.
    Yup I do this.  I love seeing what is out there and how these people work together to create such awesomeness!
  7. You take a book with you when you travel.
    Whenever I fly, I bring a book.  It is a must have for me.
  8. You stay up longer to read.
    If I am captivated by a story really, really bad, this will happen.
  9. If an author or publisher contacts you somehow, you squeal with delight and know to keep reading their books.
    I love this.  Even a thank you or a hi or a retweet is awesome.  Its a way of connecting and keep on reading.
  10.  You have  shelf filled with books waiting to be read.
    Yes this is true. I have books on a shelf in my one room that are waiting to be read. Perhaps I will tackle some of them this month.

    So that’s it!  Hope you like the my top ten!

I spy some books…


I spy these fiction books…which one tickles your interest?

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What it is about:
A Great Winged One will soon arise and cast his fearsome shadow upon the land. And just as Night slays Day, and Day slays Night, so also shall another Black Witch rise to meet him, her powers vast beyond imagining.

So foretells the greatest prophecy of the Gardnerian mages. Carnissa Gardner, the last prophesied Black Witch, drove back the enemy forces and saved her people during the Realm War. Now a new evil is on the horizon, and her granddaughter, Elloren, is believed to be Carnissa’s heir—but while she is the absolute image of her famous grandmother, Elloren is utterly devoid of power in a society that prizes magical ability above nearly all else.

When she is granted the opportunity to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an apothecary, Elloren is eager to join her brothers at the prestigious Verpax University and finally embrace a destiny of her own, free from the shadow of her grandmother’s legacy. But she soon realizes that the university, which admits all manner of people—including the fire-wielding, winged Icarals, the sworn enemies of all Gardnerians—is an even more treacherous place for the granddaughter of the Black Witch.

 

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What it is about
Shelby is nervous to start her senior year after spending the whole summer away from home. After all, it’s hard to be carefree when you’re trying to protect a secret.

Shelby was in a devastating car accident, and everyone in town thinks that she was undergoing more physical therapy in Denver. Instead, Shelby’s mother enrolled her in a clinical program to stop the panic attacks that started after the crash. The treatment erased Shelby’s memory of the accident, but she can’t help feeling as if a piece of herself is missing, that the treatment took more than the doctors claimed.

So when Shelby starts hallucinating a boy with dark and mysterious eyes, she knows it must be a side-effect of the clinical program. Except you can’t kiss hallucinations. And this boy insists that they know each other and are in love…

 

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What it is about
Needed to Win.
They Needed to Die.

Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class―and the nobles who destroyed their home.

When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand―the Queen’s personal assassins, named after the rings she wears―Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge.

But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.

 

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What it is about
Marnie MacGraw wants an ordinary life—a husband, kids, and a minivan in the suburbs. Now that she’s marrying the man of her dreams, she’s sure this is the life she’ll get. Then Marnie meets Blix Holliday, her fiancé’s irascible matchmaking great-aunt who’s dying, and everything changes—just as Blix told her it would.

When her marriage ends after two miserable weeks, Marnie is understandably shocked. She’s even more astonished to find that she’s inherited Blix’s Brooklyn brownstone along with all of Blix’s unfinished “projects”: the heartbroken, oddball friends and neighbors running from happiness. Marnie doesn’t believe she’s anything special, but Blix somehow knew she was the perfect person to follow in her matchmaker footsteps.

And Blix was also right about some things Marnie must learn the hard way: love is hard to recognize, and the ones who push love away often are the ones who need it most.

Sports Books

Check out these sports books!  They all have a story to tell!!

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Butterfly : from refugee to Olympian, my story of rescue, hope, and triumph 
Yusra Mardini

The inspiring story of how one woman saved fellow refugees from drowning―and how she went on to become an Olympic swimmer.

When young Syrian refugee Yusra Mardini realized her boat’s engine shut down as she was traveling from Syria to Greece with other refugees, there was no hesitation: she dove into the water. Surfacing, she heard desperate prayers and sobbing from the passengers in the sinking boat above her. Between the waves, her elder sister Sarah screamed at her to get back on the boat. But Mardini was determined. She was not going to let Sarah do this alone. Grabbing the rope with one hand, she began kicking up the black water, inching the boat towards the distant shore.

This bold act of bravery saved the lives of a boatload of refugees heading to Turkey from Syria. After her arrival in Greece, Mardini, focused and undeterred, worked toward a lifelong goal: to compete in the Olympics. She succeeded, and competed in 2016 on the Refugee Olympic Team in Rio de Janeiro.

Butterfly tells her story, from Syria to the Olympics to her current work with the UN as a Goodwill Ambassador. Mardini is eager to tell her story in the hopes that readers will remember that refugees are ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, chased from their homes by a devastating war. In today’s political climate, this story is guaranteed to inspire and educate readers from every background.

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The soul of basketball : the epic showdown between LeBron, Kobe, Doc, and Dirk that saved the NBA
Ian Thomsen

The Soul of Basketball tells the story of an NBA prodigy, his league and their sport in the throes of crisis during the pivotal 2010-11 season. It began with The Decision, that infamous televised moment when uber-star LeBron James revealed that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers – thereby distancing himself from his role model Michael Jordan – to pursue his first championship with his former opponents on the Miami Heat.

To the great fortune of LeBron, the NBA and basketball itself, the mission didn’t work out as planned. In the cultural tradition of Moneyball and Friday Night Lights, veteran NBA writer Ian Thomsen portrays the NBA as a self-correcting society in which young LeBron is forced to absorb hard truths inflicted by his rivals Kobe Bryant, Doc Rivers and Dirk Nowitzki, in addition to lessons set forth by Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, Larry Bird, David Stern, Joey Crawford and many more.

This is about the making of a champion. Brimming with inside access, The Soul of Basketball tells the inspiring story of LeBron’s loneliest year, insecure and uncertain, when his ultimate foe was an unlikely immigrant who renewed the American game’s ideals. From Miami to Boston, Los Angeles to Dallas, Germany to the NBA’s Manhattan headquarters, the biggest names in basketball are driven by something more valuable than money and fame  – a quest that will pave the way for Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and future generations to thrive.

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Let your mind run : a memoir of thinking my way to victory
Deena Kastor

Deena Kastor was a star youth runner with tremendous promise, yet her career almost ended after college, when her competitive method—run as hard as possible, for fear of losing—fostered a frustration and negativity and brought her to the brink of burnout. On the verge of quitting, she took a chance and moved to the high altitudes of Alamosa, Colorado, where legendary coach Joe Vigil had started the first professional distance-running team. There she encountered the idea that would transform her running career: the notion that changing her thinking—shaping her mind to be more encouraging, kind, and resilient—could make her faster than she’d ever imagined possible. Building a mind so strong would take years of effort and discipline, but it would propel Kastor to the pinnacle of running—to American records in every distance from the 5K to the marathon—and to the accomplishment of earning America’s first Olympic medal in the marathon in twenty years.

Let Your Mind Run is a fascinating intimate look inside the mind of an elite athlete, a remarkable story of achievement, and an insightful primer on how the small steps of cultivating positivity can give anyone a competitive edge.

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The pursuit of endurance : harnessing the record-breaking power of strength and resilience
Jennifer Pharr Davis.

Jennifer Pharr Davis, a record holder of the FKT (fastest known time) on the Appalachian Trail, reveals the secrets and habits behind endurance as she chronicles her incredible accomplishments in the world of endurance hiking, backpacking, and trail running. With a storyteller’s ear for fascinating detail and description, Davis takes readers along as she trains and sets her record, analyzing and trail-testing the theories and methodologies espoused by her star-studded roster of mentors. She distills complex rituals and histories into easy-to-understand tips and action items that will help you take perseverance to the next level. The Pursuit of Endurance empowers readers to unlock phenomenal endurance and leverage newfound grit to achieve personal bests in everything from sports and family to the boardroom.

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Hang time : my life in basketball

Elgin Baylor with Alan Eisenstock.

People think of Elgin Baylor as one of the greatest basketball players in the history of the game—and one of the NBA’s first black superstars—but the full extent of his legacy stretches beyond his spectacular, game-changing shots and dunks. With startling symmetry, Baylor recounts his story: flying back and forth between the U.S. Army and the Lakers, his time as a central figure in the great Celtics-Lakers rivalry and how he helped break down color barriers in the sport, his 1964 All-Star game boycott, his early years as an executive for the New Orleans Jazz, and twenty-two years as general manager for the notorious L.A. Clippers and Donald Sterling, spent fighting to draft and sign young, black phenoms—only to be hamstrung by his boss at every turn.

No one has seen the league change, and has worked to bring change, more than Baylor. Year after year, he continued to fight and persevere against racism. At the beginning of his career, he was forced to stay in separate hotel rooms. From those days to today’s superstardom, he has had a front-row view of the game’s elevation to one of America’s favorite sports. For the first time, Elgin Baylor tells his full story. He’s played with the legends, lived with them, and knows more about the NBA than anyone living, and is finally ready to set the record straight.

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From the outside : my journey through life and the game I love
Ray Allen with Michael Arkush

Playing in the NBA for eighteen years, Ray Allen won championships with the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat and entered the record books as the original king of the three-point shot. Known as one of the hardest-working and highest-achieving players in NBA history, this most dedicated competitor was legendary for his sharp shooting.From the Outside, complete with a foreword by Spike Lee, is his story in his words: a no-holds-barred look at his life and career, filled with behind-the-scenes stories and surprising revelations about the game he has always cherished.

Allen talks openly about his fellow players, coaches, owners, and friends, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett. He reveals how, as a kid growing up in a military family, he learned about responsibility and respect—the key to making those perfect free throws and critical three-point shots.

From the Outside is the portrait of a gifted athlete and a serious man with a strongly defined philosophy about the game and the right way it should be played—a philosophy that, at times, set him apart from colleagues and coaches, while inspiring so many others, and lead to the most pivotal shot of his career: the unforgettable 3-pointer in the final seconds of Game 6 of the 2013 NBA finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Throughout, Allen makes clear that success in basketball is as much about what happens off the court as on, that devotion and commitment are the true essence of the game—and of life itself.

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Ninety percent mental : an all-star player turned mental skills coach reveals the hidden game of baseball
Bob Tewksbury and Scott Miller

In Ninety Percent Mental, Bob Tewksbury shows readers a side of the game only he can provide, given his singular background as both a longtime MLB pitcher and a mental skills coach for two of the sport’s most fabled franchises, the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants. Fans watching the game on television or even at the stadium don’t have access to the mind games a pitcher must play in order to get through an at-bat, an inning, a game. Tewksbury explores the fascinating psychology behind baseball, such as how players use techniques of imagery, self-awareness, and strategic thinking to maximize performance, and how a pitcher’s strategy changes throughout a game. He also offers an in-depth look into some of baseball’s most monumental moments and intimate anecdotes from a “who’s who” of the game, including legendary players who Tewksbury played with and against (such as Mark McGwire, Craig Biggio, and Greg Maddux), game-changing managers and executives (Joe Torre, Bruce Bochy, Brian Sabean), and current star players (Jon Lester, Anthony Rizzo, Andrew Miller, Rich Hill).

With Tewksbury’s esoteric knowledge as a thinking-fan’s player and his expertise as a “baseball whisperer”, this entertaining book is perfect for any fan who wants to see the game in a way he or she has never seen it before. Ninety Percent Mental will deliver an unprecedented look at the mound games and mind games of Major League Baseball.

Creative Books

Creativity is awesome!  Always take the time to create something.  I think it helps people. For me it’s relaxing, fun and makes me concentrate on what I am doing.  Sometimes art goes my way and sometimes it does not.   So today these books that I mention below has to do with being creative.  Take a peek and see if they interest you!

 

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Concrete creations : 45 easy-to-make gifts & accessories
Marion Dawidowskii, Ingrid Moras, and others.

Over 45 elegant concrete designs for your beautiful, modern home with just a bag of ready-mixed concrete, water, and a few items you can find around the house.

Concrete is in.

And no wonder: it’s inexpensive, durable, and makes unique, stunning pieces with which to decorate your home. With just a bag of ready-mixed concrete, water, and a few utensils and molds you can find around the house, you can create beautiful, minimalist items in no time at all; from clocks, vases, lampshades and bowls through to jewelry, wine coolers, and desk organisers.

Each project is equipped with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions and tips, and all can be made with very little know-how– making it a perfect craft for beginner concrete artisans, as well as the more experienced mason.

A perfect mix of power, presence and practicality, bring concrete into your home today and discover a new-found love for this often overlooked but remarkable building material.

 

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Tomoko Fuse’s Origami Boxes
Tomoko Fuse

With this origami-how-to book, learn how to fold unique gift boxes that are as unique as the treasures they hold!

Considered the most famous living origami master, Tomoko Fuse is known for her expertise in box-folding and other origami paper craft styles. The simple flat box, ortato, is an excellent introduction to the art of beginner origami and allows readers to “start small,” then build to more intricate pieces.

Handmade paper boxes are an expression of origami crafts at their very best. Experiment with different thicknesses, textures, and origami paper designs of paper for a true one-of-a-kind presentation.

Step by step instructions and diagrams guide you from start to finish as you create:

  • Flat boxes in several different shapes
  • Boxes with multifaceted tops
  • Box tops with spiraled flourishes
  • And so much more

Origami box folding is a relaxing and satisfying craft for all levels of expertise and—with a little practice and this easy origami book—gift-giving will never be the same.

 

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1000 Tangles, Patterns Doodled Designs  
Walter Foster Creative Team

Hundreds of designs, patterns, borders, doodles, and tangles to guide and inspire.

1,000 Tangles, Patterns & Doodled Designs combines hundreds of tangling, illustration, and doodling patterns and designs into one all-encompassing guidebook. Filled with inspirational designs, patterns, borders, flourishes, doodles, tangles, and more, this creative resource explores hundreds of ideas for tangling and doodling enthusiasts to learn and model. From basic tangles to stylized letters and numbers, the variety of patterns and designs seems virtually endless. Throughout the book, practical tips and step-by-step lessons help artists perfect their skills, while blank templates can be copied or scanned to use over and over again. A nonstop compendium of doodling tips and tangling techniques, 1,000 Tangles, Patterns & Doodled Designs is a complete resource for doodling enthusiasts and a tangler’s dream come true.

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Hand lettering step by step : techniques and projects to express yourself creatively
Kathy Glynn.

A successful calligrapher and artist teaches you the skills of lettering beautifully—and gives projects to show them off!

In today’s digital age, people crave something personal and handmade—so hand lettering and calligraphy are becoming more popular than ever. If you’re eager to get in on the trend, artist Kathy Glynn will help you master the three main techniques—hand lettering, brush lettering, and pointed pen calligraphy—and create work that’s expressive, exquisite, and romantic. After explaining the basics, Kathy explains how to combine styles, add embellishments, and even digitize lettering. More than 20 projects include wedding invitations, temporary tattoos, address stamps, glass etching, and a custom family tree.

New books for my To Read Pile

New books for my to read pile….I caved in and got myself two new books.  Bad bad!  I have a huge pile of books that are calling me to read and yet I get two more.  I can do this.  I could not resist these two because….VAMPIRES.

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Nobody does vampires like Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Princess Diaries and Queen of Babble novels. Overbite is Meg’s sexy and hip sequel to her bestselling Insatiable, the story of a soap opera writer with precognitive powers who is recruited into the Vatican’s war against demons and the undead. Unfortunately Meena Harper has a major Achilles Heel—namely her lingering affection for her ex-boyfriend, Lucien Antonescu, son of Dracula, the prince of darkness.

 

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Ryder Duncan keeps his secrets. With a twisted scientist starving him in a 10 x 12 cell, it’s not easy to conceal the abilities that set him apart from other vampires, or his plans for escape. But survival—and revenge—are worth waiting for. Until the so-called doctor tempts his appetites with something special: a woman, with a soft Southern accent and a scent like flowers. Sabine.

Sabine Acadia didn’t volunteer to be dinner. She was kidnapped and tossed into the cage of a monster. A monster with fierce green eyes, a body that speaks of ruthless power—but a touch gentle as a caress. Ryder knows things about her, secrets Sabine needs to learn fast. Because while they might soon escape this prison, she’s fighting an urge to set all her desires free . . .

I spy these books today

I spy……..

IN

Influential Mind

A cutting-edge, research-based inquiry into how we influence those around us and how understanding the brain can help us change minds for the better.

In The Influential Mind, neuroscientist Tali Sharot takes us on a thrilling exploration of the nature of influence. We all have a duty to affect others―from the classroom to the boardroom to social media. But how skilled are we at this role, and can we become better? It turns out that many of our instincts―from relying on facts and figures to shape opinions, to insisting others are wrong or attempting to exert control―are ineffective, because they are incompatible with how people’s minds operate. Sharot shows us how to avoid these pitfalls, and how an attempt to change beliefs and actions is successful when it is well-matched with the core elements that govern the human brain.

Sharot reveals the critical role of emotion in influence, the weakness of data and the power of curiosity. Relying on the latest research in neuroscience, behavioral economics and psychology, the book provides fascinating insight into the complex power of influence, good and bad.

 

IN2

Stick With It

An award-winning psychologist and director of the UCLA Center for Digital Behavior shows everyone how to make real, lasting change in their lives in this exciting work of popular psychology that goes beyond The Power of Habit with science and practical strategies that can alter their problem behaviors—forever.

Whether it’s absent-minded mistakes at work, a weakness for junk food, a smart phone addiction, or a lack of exercise, everyone has some bad habit or behavior that they’d like to change. But wanting to change and actually doing it—and sticking with it—are two very different things.

Dr. Sean Young, an authoritative new voice in the field of behavioral science, knows a great deal about our habits—how we make them and how we can break them. Stick with It is his fascinating look at the science of behavior, filled with crucial knowledge and practical advice to help everyone successfully alter their actions and improve their lives.

As Dr. Young explains, you don’t change behavior by changing the person, you do it by changing the process. Drawing on his own scientific research and that of other leading experts in the field, he explains why change can be difficult and identifies the crucial forces that combine to make transformation permanent, from the right way to create new habits to how to harness emotional meaning to motivate change. He also helps us understand how the mind often interferes with creating lasting change and how we can outsmart it, including using “neurohacks” to shortcut the brain’s counterproductive instincts. In addition he provides a powerful corrective to the decades old science of habits, offering a next generation discussion of how habits can change behavior with the right approach.

Packed with pragmatic exercises and stories of real people who have used them successfully,Stick with It shows that it is possible to control spending, stick to a diet, become more social, exercise regularly, stop compulsively checking e-mail, and overcome problem behaviors—forever.

 

IN3

Train Your Brain for Success

Train your mind to achieve new levels of success!

Professionals and entrepreneurs do a great job of keeping up appearances. But if they’re honest with themselves, they’re short on living the life they really want. Train Your Brain For Successprovides the perspective to analyze how you got where you are and, more importantly, learn the skills to get where you truly desire to be. Train Your Brain For Success explains specific ways of thinking and acting that will get anyone where they want to go, fast. Learn to condition your mind to move towards success automatically, by discovering greater memory power and fundamental techniques for boosting reading speed and comprehension.

Get a proven strategy for succeeding and becoming a record-breaking performer.

  • Learn to live in the moment
  • Become brilliant with the basics
  • Aggressively take care of your mind

Train your mind for new levels of success by boosting memory power, reading speed and comprehension.

 

IN4

Freedom Trap

In many ways we have never been more ‘free’. We are freer to follow our dreams, set goals and live the life we choose. Yet mental health issues are sky-rocketing. Anxiety and depression are rife and more people feel overwhelmed by daily living. We are more addictive, distracted and pressured. This is a world that increasingly seems to breed discontent. So, is all our so-called freedom nothing more than a trap of our own making? Are we, as the saying goes, simply decorating the cage that keeps us imprisoned? Does everything that flies under the banner of freedom actually promote it? What can we do to change the status quo?

The Freedom Trap is an inspiring call for clear thinking and a fresh appraisal of what our freedoms mean and can become. In this challenging, confronting and eye-opening look at what freedom actually is – examined from philosophical, psychological, political, social, legal, ethical, scientific, historical and neurological perspectives – mindfulness expert Associate Professor Craig Hassed explores how we can alleviate our burdens (our worries, regrets and material desires) and find a life of peace, happiness and harmony – true freedom.

Including practical thinking steps to help further your understanding of what freedom really means, this book is essential reading for anyone who has ever thought ‘there has to be more to life than this’.