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2023 Reading List

The Gods We Can Touch

The Gods We Can Touch

Aurora Aksnes

Published: | Pages:104

Description: This full-colour reproduction of Aurora’s personal notebook also features all song lyrics from the album, as a beautifully presented cloth hardback with gold foiling. With original album artwork and stunning photography too, this book is a unique and immersive treasure trove for fans. ‘This is a little book I wrote, trying to figure out the soul of my album.’ – Aurora Aksnes

Liner Quotes: Aurora

Liner Quotes: Aurora

Ketil Mosnes

Published: 2018 | Pages:93

My Rating: 5/5
A neat little book for those who are fans of Aurora, but its very light on the content and roughly half the pages are photos.

Description: This book documents the young singer’s 2016-17 travels from her rainy Bergen hometown to Los Angeles, and on to Australia, with exclusive interviews, personal recollections and intimate photographs. It offers a glimpse into–among other things–Aurora’s thoughts on success, her fans, world tours, and, of course, The Smurf Hits.Liner Quotes is a series designed to provide readers with informative and often humorous insight into the minds and lives of some of Norway’s most interesting musicians.

The Mysteries

The Mysteries

Bill Watterson

Published: 2023 | Pages:72

My Rating: 4/5

Description: From Bill Watterson, bestselling creator of the beloved comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, and John Kascht, one of America’s most renowned caricaturists, comes a mysterious and beautifully illustrated fable about what lies beyond human understanding. In a fable for grown-ups by cartoonist Bill Watterson, a long-ago kingdom is afflicted with unexplainable calamities. Hoping to end the torment, the king dispatches his knights to discover the source of the mysterious events. Years later, a single battered knight returns.For the book’s illustrations, Watterson and caricaturist John Kascht worked together for several years in unusually close collaboration. Both artists abandoned their past ways of working, inventing images together that neither could anticipate—a mysterious process in its own right.

Taken by the Tetris Blocks: An Erotic Short Story (Digital Desires, #1)

Taken by the Tetris Blocks: An Erotic Short Story (Digital Desires, )

Leonard Delaney

Published: 2014 | Pages:17

My Rating: 3/5

Description: Taken by the Tetris Blocks is a 4000 word short story featuring sexual situations involving blocks. It’s for super mature audiences only.

2022 Reading List

Mastering The Game: What Video Games Can Teach Us About Success In Life

Mastering The Game: What Video Games Can Teach Us About Success In Life

Jon Harrison

Published: 2015 | Pages:294

My Rating: 3/5

Description: Mastering The Game: What Video Games Can Teach Us About Success In Life takes a look at how the same habits and principles that lead to success when playing video games can be applied to personal and business success. Principles are ideas that are truly timeless, and remain true independent of context, culture or time period. So what are the principles embedded in the most popular video games? Surprisingly, the list strongly resembles the most in demand traits for the workplace. • Adaptability & Managing Change • Personal Accountability • Innovation • Communication & Listening • Teambuilding & Collaboration • Knowledge Sharing • Persistence & Grit Mastering The Game provides analogies, examples, and lessons for connecting the dots between how gamers play and how successful professionals work. Are you ready to take your career to the next level?

Scott Pilgrim, Volume 3: Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness

Scott Pilgrim, Volume 3: Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness

Bryan Lee O’Malley

Published: 2006 | Pages:192

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Scott Pilgrim, Volume 4: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together

Scott Pilgrim, Volume 4: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together

Bryan Lee O’Malley

Published: 2007 | Pages:216

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Scott Pilgrim, Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe

Scott Pilgrim, Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe

Bryan Lee O’Malley

Published: 2009 | Pages:184

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Scott Pilgrim, Volume 6: Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour

Scott Pilgrim, Volume 6: Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour

Bryan Lee O’Malley

Published: 2010 | Pages:245

My Rating: 5/5

Description:

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (Scott Pilgrim, #1)

Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life (Scott Pilgrim, )

Bryan Lee O’Malley

Published: 2004 | Pages:168

My Rating: 5/5

Description:

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Scott Pilgrim, #2)

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Scott Pilgrim, )

Bryan Lee O’Malley

Published: 2005 | Pages:200

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

2021 Reading List

Shikake: The Japanese Art of Shaping Behavior Through Design

Shikake: The Japanese Art of Shaping Behavior Through Design

Naohiro Matsumura

Published: | Pages:192

My Rating: 4/5

Description: We are living in a time when behavioral change is necessary for our health and survival. Yet we find it exceedingly difficult to transform our own habits, let alone those of other people. Enter Naohiro Matsumura, whose powerful new design method is as astonishingly simple in its logic as it is sophisticated in its psychology. It allows any of us—from UX designers and marketers to concerned citizens and overworked parents—to address challenges in our homes, our public spaces, and our social interactions.As Matsumura shows, a shikake—or “device” in Japanese—is a design that exerts influence on us through subtle nudging, rather than direct command; it encourages a particular behavior without telling its (often unwitting) user the primary purpose of that behavior. For • Footprints in a store guide shoppers and keep them socially distant• A basketball hoop placed over a trash can entices children to tidy up their rooms• A symbol of a shrine in a public square encourages respectfulness• A staircase painted to look like piano keys prompts exercise through playCombining traditional Japanese aesthetics with the lessons of behavioral economics, Matsumura reveals how to identify the hidden design cues that already shape our world, and how shikakes can help us confront some of the most pressing challenges of our era, from pandemics to declining civic engagement to climate change and beyond. Mind-bending yet elegant, Shikake presents a tool kit for anyone who wants to create their own mindful designs, for the delight and betterment of us all.

The Endermen Invasion (An Unofficial Gamer's Adventure, #3)

The Endermen Invasion (An Unofficial Gamer’s Adventure, )

Winter Morgan

Published: 2014 | Pages:114

My Rating: 2/5

Description: This adventure series is created especially for readers who love the fight of good vs. evil, magical academies like Hogwarts in the Harry Potter saga, and games like Minecraft, Terraria, and Pokemon GO.In this third installment of the Minecraft Gamer’s Adventure series, Steve is invited to participate in an elite building competition on Mushroom Island. His friends—Max, Lucy, and Henry—are impressed and want to join their friend on a journey to the island. Yet not everyone is Steve’s neighbor Kyra is upset because she wasn’t chosen as a contestant. Steve asks Kyra to come to the competition and help the gang build boats to get to Mushroom Island. She agrees, and the group sets out on an adventure to the contest. Getting there is half the fun, and the group treks through the jungle, where they find a rare temple filled with treasure! But getting the treasure isn’t easy, and they have to fight fierce battles to continue their journey.After their exhilarating and rewarding journey to the contest, they finally make their way onto the island and meet the judges, as well as the other four contestants, whose egos are as big as the houses they are building. Steve builds his dream house to impress the judges, but just as they begin judging, the island is overrun with Endermen. Mushroom islands are known for not having hostile mobs, so everyone knows it’s the work of a griefer. Is it one of the contestants? Nobody knows, but they all have to work together to battle this invasion of the Endermen.Will they be able to defeat the Endermen and find out who the griefer is? And who will win the building contest? Find out in this thrilling third installment of the Minecraft Gamer’s Adventure series!Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love stories told with LEGO bricks, books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. We also publish books for fans of Minecraft and Pokemon GO, including books full of useful hacks, tips, and tricks, as well as Minecraft adventure stories for readers who love the fight of good vs. evil, and magical academies similar to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter saga. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

The Mystery of the Griefer's Mark (An Unofficial Gamer's Adventure, #2)

The Mystery of the Griefer’s Mark (An Unofficial Gamer’s Adventure, )

Winter Morgan

Published: 2014 | Pages:114

My Rating: 3/5

Description: Steve is back and ready for more adventures! But this time the excitement lands closer to home. While walking home from the village, Steve is surprised to hear a loud BOOM! When he returns home, he finds his wheat farm destroyed and a huge crater where the wheat once grew. And his diamond sword is missing! Steve believes it’s the act of a griefer with a lot of TNT. Devastated, Steve wants to rebuild and find his sword, but with his wheat destroyed, he must call on old friends to help him.All together again, Lucy, Max, and Henry tell harrowing stories of their treasure hunts and conquests, and Steve discusses his strategy for rebuilding. They all go to sleep, excited to begin their plans; but when they wake up, Henry is missing! Looking for Henry in the village, two of Steve’s neighbors, Kyra and Adam, have been targeted as well: Kyra’s barn was flooded with lava, and Adam’s friend Thomas is missing too!Who is the griefer terrorizing Steve and the villagers? And how will Steve find the resources to rebuild his prosperous farm? With suspicion circulating and no answers to be found, Steve finds himself wrongly suspected of these crimes�and so he must discover who the mischievous griefer is before something even worse happens.

The Quest for the Diamond Sword (An Unofficial Gamer's Adventure, #1)

The Quest for the Diamond Sword (An Unofficial Gamer’s Adventure, )

Winter Morgan

Published: 2014 | Pages:114

My Rating: 3/5

Description: Far from his home, with night about to set in, Steve fears for his life. Nighttime is when users are most vulnerable in Minecraft. As he looks for shelter in a temple, he meets a trio of treasure hunters, Max, Lucy, and Henry, who are trying to unearth the treasure under the temple. Steve tells them of his master plan to mine for the most powerful mineral in the Overworld—the diamond. The treasure hunters are eager to join him. Facing treacherous mining conditions, a thunderstorm, and attacks from hostile mobs, these four friends question if it’s better to be a single player than a multiplayer, as they try to watch out for each other and chase Steve’s dream at the same time.Will Steve find the diamonds? Will his friends help or hinder the search? Should he trust his new treasure hunter friends? And will Steve get back in time to save the villagers?Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

2020 Reading List

How to Be Black

How to Be Black

Baratunde R. Thurston

Published: 2012 | Pages:254

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Caliban's War (Expanse, #2)

Caliban’s War (Expanse, )

James S.A. Corey

Published: 2012 | Pages:583

My Rating: 4/5

Description: In the vast wilderness of space, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante have been keeping the peace for the Outer Planets Alliance. When they agree to help a scientist search war-torn Ganymede for a missing child, the future of humanity rests on whether a single ship can prevent an alien invasion that may have already begun . . .

The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America

The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America

Matt Kracht

Published: 2019 | Pages:174

Description: Perfect book for the birder and anti-birder alikeA humorous look at 50 common North American dumb For those who have a disdain for birds or bird lovers with a sense of humor, this snarky, illustrated handbook is equal parts profane, funny, and—let’s face it—true.Featuring common North American birds, such as the White-Breasted Butt Nugget and the Goddamned Canada Goose (or White-Breasted Nuthatch and Canada Goose for the layperson), Matt Kracht identifies all the idiots in your backyard and details exactly why they suck with humorous, yet angry, ink drawings. With The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America , you won’t need to wonder what all that racket is anymore!• Each entry is accompanied by facts about a bird’s (annoying) call, its (dumb) migratory pattern, its (downright tacky) markings, and more.• The essential guide to all things wings with migratory maps, tips for birding, musings on the avian population, and the ethics of birdwatching.• Matt Kracht is an amateur birder, writer, and illustrator who enjoys creating books that celebrate the humor inherent in life’s absurdities. Based in Seattle, he enjoys gazing out the window at the beautiful waters of Puget Sound and making fun of birds.”There are loads of books out there for bird lovers, but until now, nothing for those that love to hate birds. The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America fills the void, packed with snarky illustrations that chastise the flying animals in a funny, profane way. ” – UncrateA humorous animal book with 50 common North American birds for people who love birds and also those who love to hate birds• A perfect coffee table or bar top conversation-starting book• Makes a great Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthday, or retirement gift

The Case of the Girl Who Took Her Shampoo (But Left Her Mini)

The Case of the Girl Who Took Her Shampoo (But Left Her Mini)

Greg Rucka

Published: 2011 | Pages:156

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Transformers: The Manga, Vol. 1

Transformers: The Manga, Vol. 1

Masumi Kaneda

Published: | Pages:288

My Rating: 4/5
I really dig the art but the plot lines are really random. Sometimes the random weirdness works, but don’t go into this expecting some sort of Deep Lore.

Description: The Autobots and Decepticons have been locked in a brutal civil war for eons, and now their battle has come to Earth! The Autobots seek peace and coexistence, while the Decepticons seek power and control. Earth and its populace are caught between the two as these mighty factions go head-to-head. Transformers took the world by storm shortly after their debut, and these previously uncollected stories were a vital part of that takeover! In this collector’s volume, the Autobots and their young friend Kenji must stand tall against the Decepticons in an interplanetary conflict! These classic stories are from the dawn of the Transformers, and this volume contains thrilling tales such as “The Great Transformer War” and “Fight! Super Robot Life-Form Transformers!”—plus an extensive art gallery!

Kill la Kill 01 (Kill la Kill, #1)

Kill la Kill 01 (Kill la Kill, )

Trigger

Published: 2013 | Pages:184

My Rating: 3/5

Description:

2019 Reading List

The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)

The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, )

J.R.R. Tolkien

Published: 1954 | Pages:398

My Rating: 5/5

Description: One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkeness bind themIn ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit.In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.–back cover

The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)

The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, )

J.R.R. Tolkien

Published: 1954 | Pages:322

My Rating: 5/5

Description: Frodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria. And Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape, the rest of the company was attacked by Orcs. Now they continue the journey alone down the great River Anduin — alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.

The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)

The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, )

J.R.R. Tolkien

Published: 1955 | Pages:404

My Rating: 5/5

Description: here.The Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures as the quest continues. Aragorn, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, joined with the Riders of Rohan against the forces of Isengard, and took part in the desperate victory of the Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by Orcs, escaped into Fangorn Forest and there encountered the Ents. Gandalf returned, miraculously, and defeated the evil wizard, Saruman. Meanwhile, Sam and Frodo progressed towards Mordor to destroy the Ring, accompanied by SmEagol–Gollum, still obsessed by his ‘precious’. After a battle with the giant spider, Shelob, Sam left his master for dead; but Frodo is still alive–in the hands of the Orcs. And all the time the armies of the Dark Lord are massing. J.R.R. Tolkien’s great work of imaginative fiction has been labeled both a heroic romance and a classic fantasy fiction. By turns comic and homely, epic and diabolic, the narrative moves through countless changes of scene and character in an imaginary world which is totally convincing in its detail.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Shinji Ikari Raising Project Volume 1

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Shinji Ikari Raising Project Volume 1

Osamu Takahashi

Published: 2006 | Pages:192

My Rating: 3/5

Description: When Shinji starts to get curious about Rei, Asuka needs to figure out if she wants to be just friends with Shinji or something more. But why are so many people keeping an eye on these relationships? People like homeroom teacher Misato, school nurse Ritsuko, and Shinji’s mother and NERV’s chief scientist Yui Ikari… Each volume of Neon Genesis Evangelion features bonus color pages, your Evangelion fan art, letters, and special reader giveaways!

Battle Angel Alita, Vol. 2: Tears of an Angel

Battle Angel Alita, Vol. 2: Tears of an Angel

Yukito Kishiro

Published: 1992 | Pages:207

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1)

Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, )

James S.A. Corey

Published: 2011 | Pages:577

My Rating: 5/5

Description: From a New York Times bestselling and Hugo award-winning author comes a modern masterwork of science fiction, introducing a captain, his crew, and a detective as they unravel a horrifying solar system wide conspiracy that begins with a single missing girl.  Humanity has colonized the solar system—Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond—but the stars are still out of our reach.Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, the Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for—and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. War is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why.Detective Miller is looking for a girl. One girl in a system of billions, but her parents have money and money talks. When the trail leads him to the Scopuli and rebel sympathizer Holden, he realizes that this girl may be the key to everything.Holden and Miller must thread the needle between the Earth government, the Outer Planet revolutionaries, and secretive corporations—and the odds are against them. But out in the Belt, the rules are different, and one small ship can change the fate of the universe.

Star Wars: Thrawn

Star Wars: Thrawn

Timothy Zahn

Published: 2017 | Pages:488

My Rating: 4/5

Description: After Thrawn is rescued from exile by Imperial soldiers, his deadly ingenuity and keen tactical abilities swiftly capture the attention of Emperor Palpatine. And just as quickly, Thrawn proves to be as indispensable to the Empire as he is ambitious; as devoted as its most loyal servant, Darth Vader; and a brilliant warrior never to be underestimated. On missions to rout smugglers, snare spies, and defeat pirates, he triumphs time and again—even as his renegade methods infuriate superiors while inspiring ever greater admiration from the Empire. As one promotion follows another in his rapid ascension to greater power, he schools his trusted aide, Ensign Eli Vanto, in the arts of combat and leadership, and the secrets of claiming victory. But even though Thrawn dominates the battlefield, he has much to learn in the arena of politics, where ruthless administrator Arihnda Pryce holds the power to be a potent ally or a brutal enemy.All these lessons will be put to the ultimate test when Thrawn rises to admiral and must pit all the knowledge, instincts, and battle forces at his command against an insurgent uprising that threatens not only innocent lives but also the Empire’s grip on the galaxy—and his own carefully laid plans for future ascendancy.

Battle Angel Alita, Vol. 1

Battle Angel Alita, Vol. 1

Yukito Kishiro

Published: 1990 | Pages:248

My Rating: 4/5

Description: Daisuke Ido, a talented cybernetic doctor, finds the head of a cyborg in a junk heap. When he rebuilds her body, Alita’s only clue to her past surfaces-her deadly fighting instincts! And now she is determine to find out the truth about who she once was…