Kelley Armstrong - Haunted (Otherworld 5)
Smart-mouthed Eve Levine, a witch with a reputation for breaking the rules, may be dead, but as she proves in this overstuffed paranormal romance (a follow-up to Industrial Magic), she can still raise hell in the hereafter—which, in this case, is a curiously ordinary dimension in which ghosts like Eve and her also deceased former lover, a sorcerer named Kris, can bicker, have sex and use their paranormal powers. The Fates, three elusive sisters, are the rulers of this otherworldly dimension, and they have a job for Eve. If she can defeat a demonic Nix who's wreaking havoc in the human realm by inducing people to kill, she'll earn her wings—literally. The catch: she can't capture the Nix without the powers that angelhood affords. Eve surmounts this hurdle by teaming up with a hunky and humanlike angel named Trsiel, but her quest, which is fraught with obstacles as well as unnecessary distractions, is lengthy and meandering. In addition, Eve's kick-butt-ask-questions-later attitude, while amusing, can be wearying, and the rules of Armstrong's alternate world seem conveniently changeable. Still, those who appreciate heroines with a good measure of spunk, sass and strong-arm savvy will find this a fun if fitful read.
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http://rapidshare.com/files/156975847/Kelley_Armstrong_-_Otherworld__Book_5_-_Haunted.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/156980334/Kelley_Armstrong_-_Otherworld__Book_5_-_Haunted.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/156981301/Kelley_Armstrong_-_Otherworld__Book_5_-_Haunted.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/156982200/Kelley_Armstrong_-_Otherworld__Book_5_-_Haunted.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/156986831/Kelley_Armstrong_-_Otherworld__Book_5_-_Haunted.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/156987733/Kelley_Armstrong_-_Otherworld__Book_5_-_Haunted.part6.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/156988216/Kelley_Armstrong_-_Otherworld__Book_5_-_Haunted.part7.rar |
Markus Zusak - The Book Thief
Book Description
The story of a young German girl who steals books, of her family and the Jewish boxer hidden in their basement as they struggle to survive in Nazi Germany when the bombs begin to fall.
Synopsis
1939 - Nazi Germany - The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier. Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall. Some important information - this novel is narrated by death. It's a small story, about
: a girl; an accordionist; some fanatical Germans; a Jewish fist fighter; and quite a lot of thievery. Another thing you should know - death will visit the book thief three times.
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http://www.adrive.com/public/6f3cb2b221ed10f774bac899ac818c527649bfa73998110369b8f3ad6b961bdf.html |
Richard Branson - Losing My Virginity
Amazon.co.uk Review
Love him or loathe him, you've got to admit it, Richard Branson has drive. And guts. And enough ambition to sink a battleship--or perhaps that should be a jumbo jet--or even a whole company of jumbos if the Virgin Atlantic/British Airways debacle (which takes up a huge chunk of this already huge tome) is anything to go by.
Branson's autobiography makes immensely fascinating reading. Whatever you think of Britain's most famous entrepreneur, the odds are that you will enjoy reading his autobiography. You may snort at descriptions of his "poor" childhood--spent eating bread and dripping while living in a house the majority of us visit on Bank Holidays and attending a "minor" public school. You may groan at memories of early initiative tests: how about being ejected from the family car and told by his mother to find his way home--at the age of four? You may flinch at accounts of his early business days as an unwashed, unshod, hippy magazine publisher living en famille with his staff in the crypt of a West London church. But, all in all, you'll get to understand where the guy's coming from--man.
And, like the man himself, there's no holds barred here. Richard bares his soul, from childhood, school days (cheating at exams), loves and losses (lost one wife when a spot of wife-swapping went drastically wrong--for him), death-defying adventures (yes, the balloons are all there), to the rise and rise of the Virgin empire. His interviews for Student magazine and the early days of Virgin Music read like a chronicle of popular music and culture in the late 20th century. Famous names bounce off every page. Prepare to be enthralled by the life and times of a walking publicity machine.
Adolf Hitler - Mein Kampf
`My Struggle’ is a book that few people will want to read. This is because it was written by one of the most reviled men in history and because of the way it was written. The impression of Hitler from films and World War II books is simply a negative one: An evil war mongerer responsible for the deaths of millions. Reading his own book is intriguing and this is part of its relatively small appeal. In a similar way that classic books (e.g. Anna Karenina/Dead Souls) begin, after the first few pages you realise you are reading something created by an exceptional mind. However this book is not a beautiful story. This is not like a magazine article tackling a hard subject with little time which gives the astute reader the impression that he or she knows more about the subject than the writer. The first book `A Reckoning’ is partially a story of Hitler’s life, World War One and much of his theories and philosophy. You enter into a strange world of paragraph long sentences, repetition, constantly twisting and turning. Hitler has a go at politicians, policies, parasites e.t.c. and in a classic way is blind to the concept that his ideas might be as blinkered as those he attacks. He believes anything miserable, weak or cowardly must be eradicated, having no compassion or pity for anything that does not conform to his ideals. Hatred is a large part of this book. This book has more hatred in it than a quarter of a mile long oil tanker has oil. There is hatred for Jews, hatred against anyone who is not ulta-nationalistic or anyone not German. The author gives the impression that if the whole world were wiped out except for Germany this in itself would not be a bad thing. The reader might see from Hitler’s poverty, his misery, the huge bitterness and then a World War that this has formed something rather grotesque. It is intriguing however and there are some gems. His thoughts on history, propaganda, ideas about the state and nature are interesting but it’s not long before we are back to hatred of Marxism or an attack against incompetent politicians or greedy businesses or shopkeepers. Hitler’s solution is to have them shot. Very clear is the determination to use force rather than another means. I didn’t understand much of Mein Kampf, there is no attempt to explain anything clearly and you have to read and re-read sentences to get any impression of what exactly he is trying to say. Like a man prodding an angry dog on the other side of a fence, Mein Kampf draws you into some idea and then changes and swirls mid sentence and then modifies to another idea, all to irritate you and wear you out. I almost think Hitler sets out to confuse, as if to say I don’t really know the answer to all this and so I’ll muddy the waters as much as possible. Much of it is incomprehensible. This is not a book that sets out principles and builds them into a unifying theory. Hitler jumps from one idea to the next, there is little continuity and function is always narrowly beaten into second place by style. Mein Kampf does have a certain elegance and style that draws the reader in. Consistent with this book there are also tedious parts and sustained outbursts. The first book is hard going and the second `The National Socialist Movement’ you think will be even harder and true to form it’s not as theoretical or complicated as the first. The second book is less of a story than the first volume and I found it tedious. It shows you the near anarchy of groups struggling for power and describes marches and sinister fights in the beer halls. Here Hitler sets out his ideas for his party. Hitler’s National Socialism is an extremist workers party, a dictatorship with some distorted policies. This was a revolutionary party or perhaps terrorism on a large scale. This is a cold book, sarcastic, verbose, right on some things, wrong on others with a hefty dose of vileness. This book is an unimaginable creation and callous in the extreme. Symptomatic of the world we live in Mein Kamp offers a rare insight into the mind of a talented man who turns to bad things. This multi-sided book gives us a glimpse of why some things are but also leads you into the cul-de-sac of incorrect suppositions, his machinations going on and on exasperatingly. Hitler is religious, nationalistic, the fatherland is far more important than anyone else on Earth, but also strangely moralistic, family orientated, even faintly comical, dragged down into fine details, you won’t forget the huge impression of reading this book.
Clan of the Cave Bear - Jean Auel
Apparently a *****ing book. 5 stars on amazon...
The Clan of the Cave Bear is the start of Jean M Auel's epic Earth's Children series. When her parents are killed by an earthquake, five-year-old Ayla wanders through the forest completely alone. Cold, hungry, and badly injured by a cave lion, the little girl is as good as gone until she is discovered by a group who call themselves the Clan of the Cave Bear. This clan, left homeless by the same disaster, has little interest in the helpless girl who comes from the tribe they refer to as the "Others". Only their medicine woman sees in Ayla a fellow human, worthy of care. She painstakingly nurses her back to health--a decision that will forever alter the physical and emotional structure of the clan. Although this story takes place roughly 35,000 years ago, its cast of characters could easily slide into any modern tale. The members of the Neanderthal clan, ruled by traditions and taboos, find themselves challenged by this outsider, who represents the physically modern Cro-Magnons. And as Ayla begins to grow and mature, her natural tendencies emerge, putting her in the middle of a brutal and dangerous power struggle.
Although Jean Auel obviously takes certain liberties with the actions and motivations of all our ancestors, her extensive research into the Ice Age does shine through--especially in the detailed knowledge of plants and natural remedies used by the medicine woman and passed down to Ayla. Mostly, though, this first in the series of four is a wonderful story of survival. Ayla's personal evolution is a compelling and relevant tale.
Bill Clinton - My Life vol 1
Amazon.co.uk Review
An exhaustive, soul-searching memoir, Bill Clinton's My Life is a refreshingly candid look at the former president as a son, brother, teacher, father, husband and public figure. Clinton painstakingly outlines the history behind his greatest successes and failures, including his dedication to educational and economic reform, his war against a "vast right-wing operation" determined to destroy him, and the "morally indefensible" acts for which he was nearly impeached. My Life is autobiography as therapy--a personal history written by a man trying to face and banish his private demons.
Clinton approaches the story of his youth with gusto, sharing tales of giant watermelons, nine-pound tumours, a charging ram, famous mobsters and jazz musicians and a BB gun standoff. He offers an equally energetic portrait of American history, pop culture and the evolving political landscape, covering the historical events that shaped his early years (namely the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr and JFK) and the events that shaped his presidency (Waco, Bosnia, Somalia). What makes My Life remarkable as a political memoir is how thoroughly it is infused with Clinton's unassuming, charmingly pithy voice:
I learned a lot from the stories my uncle, aunts, and grandparents told me: that no one is perfect but most people are good; that people can't be judged only by their worst or weakest moments; that harsh judgments can make hypocrites of us all; that a lot of life is just showing up and hanging on; that laughter is often the best, and sometimes the only, response to pain.
However, that same voice might tire readers as Clinton applies his penchant for minute details to a distractible laundry list of events, from his youth through the years of his presidency. Not wanting to forget a single detail that might help account for his actions, Clinton overdoes it--do we really need to know the name of his childhood barber? But when Clinton sticks to the meat of his story--recollections about his mother, his abusive stepfather, Hillary, the campaign trail and Kenneth Starr--the veracity of emotion and revelations about "what it is like to be President" make My Life impossible to put down.
To Clinton, "politics is a contact sport" and while he claims that My Life is not intended to make excuses or assign blame, it does portray him as a fighter whose strategy is to "take the first hit, then counterpunch as hard as I could". While My Life is primarily a stroll through Clinton's memories, it is also a scathing rebuke--a retaliation against his detractors, including Kenneth Starr, whose "mindless search for scandal" protected the guilty while "persecuting the innocent" and distracted his administration from pressing international matters (including strikes on al Qaeda). Counterpunch indeed.
At its core, My Life is a charming and intriguing if flawed book by an intriguing and flawed man who had his worst failures and humiliations made public. Ultimately, the man who left office in the shadow of scandal offers an honest and open account of his life, allowing readers to witness his struggle to "drain the most out of every moment" while maintaining the character with which he was raised. It is a remarkably intimate, persuasive look at the boy he was, the president he became and the man he is today.
Mario Puzo - The Godfather
The Godfather is a powerful story not just of the mafia underworld, but of family, of power and the corruption that so often follows it, and of a great, yet dangerous man, Don Corleone. The mafia dealings are not a vital component of the story, often just referred to as "family business", but all that isn't necessary to understand the workings of the Corleone family. It is very difficult not to admire the power of the Godfather as well as his devotion to his family, and one can but sympathise with Michael as he tries to step into his father's shoes, finding that they simply do not fit. The story shows a great knowledge of the American mafia without glorifying it, with an ending to prove this point. Not only Puzo's finest novel by far, but fiction's finest gangster story, and undoubtedly among the finest works of fiction of the twentieth century.
Joe Vitale - Zero Limits
Book Description
Self-help guru Joe Vitale reveals-for the first time in history-the secret Hawaiian system for manifesting peace, health, wealth, and more
Zero Limits reveals the breakthrough self-improvement approach that is proven to help people who are overworked, overstressed, and just plain overwhelmed deal effectively with removing self-imposed limitations in their lives that are often manifest as chaos, disease, and poverty. Spirituality and self-help guru Dr. Joe Vitale, author of the bestselling The Attractor Factor, has teamed up with Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len, master teacher of the updated Ho'oponopono system, to reveal ancient wisdom for removing mental obstacles, freeing people to automatically manifest, wealth, health, peace, and more-beyond all understanding. It includes the riveting true story of how Dr. Len used this unusual method to help heal an entire ward of mentally ill criminals-without seeing any of them.
Joe Vitale (Wimberley, TX) is President of Hypnotic Marketing, Inc., a marketing consulting firm. He has been called the "The Buddha of the Internet" for his combination of spirituality and marketing acumen. His professional clients include the Red Cross, PBS, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, and many other small and large businesses. His other books include The Attractor Factor (0-470-00980-2), There's a Customer Born Every Minute (0-471-78462-1), and Life's Missing Instruction Manual (0-471-76849-9), all from Wiley. Ihaleakala Hew Len (Woodland Hills, CA) teaches workshops on the Hawaiian method for achieving wealth, health, peace, and happiness. He has worked with thousands of people, including groups at the United Nations, UNESCO, the World Peace Conference, Healers for Peace in Europe, and the Hawaii State Teachers Association.
Synopsis
Self-help guru Joe Vitale reveals for the first time in history the secret Hawaiian system for manifesting peace, health, wealth, and more. "Zero Limits" reveals the breakthrough self-improvement approach that is proven to help people who are overworked, overstressed, and just plain overwhelmed deal effectively with removing self-imposed limitations in their lives that are often manifest as chaos, disease, and poverty. Spirituality and self-help guru Dr. Joe Vitale, author of the bestselling "The Attractor Factor", has teamed up with Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len, master teacher of the updated Ho'oponopono system, to reveal ancient wisdom for removing mental obstacles, freeing people to automatically manifest, wealth, health, peace, and more beyond all understanding. It includes the riveting true story of how Dr. Len used this unusual method to help heal an entire ward of mentally ill criminals without seeing any of them. Joe Vitale (Wimberley, TX) is President of Hypnotic Marketing, Inc., a marketing consulting firm. He has been called the "The Buddha of the Internet" for his combination of spirituality and marketing acumen.
His professional clients include the Red Cross, PBS, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, and many other small and large businesses. His other books include "The Attractor Factor" (0-470-00980-2), "There's a Customer Born Every Minute" (0-471-78462-1), and "Life's Missing Instruction Manual" (0-471-76849-9), all from Wiley. Ihaleakala Hew Len (Woodland Hills, CA) teaches workshops on the Hawaiian method for achieving wealth, health, peace, and happiness. He has worked with thousands of people, including groups at the United Nations, UNESCO, the World Peace Conference, Healers for Peace in Europe, and the Hawaii State Teachers Association.
Kurt Vonnegut - Armageddon in Retrospect
Sorry could not find a review for this. Just been published. As far i as i am aware it is a collection of letters and speeches. Let you know more after i have read it.
The Valley of Horses
sequel to 'Clan of the Cave Bear'
It's a big file (200mb), cos it's a whopping book...
In The Valley of Horses, Ayla, the unforgettable heroine of The Clan of the Cave Bear, sets out on her own odyssey of discovery away from the nurturing adoptive family and friends of the Clan. She is in search of others like herself and in search of love.
Sharing a hidden valley with a herd of steppe horses, Ayla finds a unique friendship with animals as vulnerable as herself and ingeniously discovers the complex skills needed to survive -- skills no Clan member was ever able to master. But none of her experiences prepares her for the emotional turmoil she feels when she rescues a young man -- the first of the Others she has seen -- from almost certain death.
Torn between her desire for human companionship and her fear of the unknown Others, she struggles against her deep attraction to the handsome Jondalar. It is Jondalar who teaches her the meaning of true friendship and love.
Stephen Fry - The Hippotomus
Like all of Fry's novels this one will leave you feeling as if you've just had 5 Harrier jets fly inches over your head, which is something that leaves you understandably breathless at the time and is an experience that you are unlikely to forget for a while. His attention to detail (both linguistically and in terms of content) is unbelievable and the story itself ranges from the bizzare to the downright naughty. The Hippopotamus by Stephen Fry is an absolute must for anybody with a sense of humour and a couple of afternoons to spare.
http://www.adrive.com/public/3228fc7...2fb881628.html
Jeremy Clarkson - The World According to Clarkson
This is a hilarious collection of Clarkson's articles from over the years. He shows us his usual cutting look at life, but in a way that cannot fail to make you smile and laugh out loud. He may be a grumpy old git but he is funny as hell! Perfect for short train journeys as each article is only four pages long and the topics under discussion are so varied there must be something for everyone. Recommended.
Philip Pullman - Once Upon a Time in the North.
For all you Pullman fans. Just come out this week. Enjoy!
First things first, let's get the rating out of the way. I give this book four stars simply because it isn't long enough. And I was a little disappointed when I'd finished it because I just didn't want it to stop. Perhaps that's a sign of how good the book actually is.
But to take off that star, one has to consider the reasons why it deserved the full five in the first place. The title should give things away just a little; this is essentially a western short story. And a rollicking good one too, because this is the tale of how Lee Scoresby the aeronaut and the bear Iorek Byrnison first met. The events take place a full thirty-five years before the climax of His Dark Materials, when Lee is but a young man of 24 and newly introduced to the balloon he has recently won in a poker game. As a result his flying is best described as inexpert.
So it is that Lee (and his daemon Hester) arrive in the town of Novy Odense and become involved in a stand-off between a put-upon sailor named van Berda and the power of corporate privilege. After meeting a shady figure from his past, Lee decides he must choose a side, which is how he comes across Iorek.
As you'd expect from something written by Pullman, the story reads with an effortless grace and is beautifully and finely observed and constructed. The extras, like Lyra's Oxford before it are in turn intriguing and useful, including documents and artefacts connected to the narrative itself, as well as a board game, 'Peril At The Pole'.
The last couple of pages are especially curious and relate to Lyra and her correspondence with a minor character from book one.
As with Lyra's Oxford, the slight disappointment is that there isn't more to read but it seems as if, for the moment, this is the way Pullman will realise this world: in fits and starts, and I suppose this is better by far than nothing at all.
An essential purchase for fans of His Dark Materials.
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