Affiliate Links for "arcadata"- December 2013

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Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out by Mo Yan, Howard Goldblatt (Translator), from Arcade Publishing ($1.99) is the Kindle Deal of the Day (December 21) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

* Also on Amazon CA

*** Add the professional narration (Audible.Com) of Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out for a reduced price of $1.99 after you buy this Kindle book.

Product Description

Customer review: "This book is written masterfully and encompasses a half century with sorrow and wit. Mo Yan is brilliant and the world he creates is both real and fantastical, while never settling for sentiment."

Today’s most revered, feared, and controversial Chinese novelist offers a tour de force in which the real, the absurd, the comical, and the tragic are blended into a fascinating read. The hero—or antihero—of Mo Yan’s new novel is Ximen Nao, a landowner known for his benevolence to his peasants. His story is a deliriously unique journey and absolutely riveting tale that reveals the author’s love of a homeland beset by ills inevitable, political, and traditional.

Any Duchess Will Do (Spindle Cove) by Tessa Dare from Avon ($1.99) is the Kindle Romance Deal of the Day (December 21) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

* Also on Amazon CA

Product Description

Customer review: "A great fun story populated by wonderful, interesting characters and graceful writing."

What's a duke to do, when the girl who's perfectly wrong becomes the woman he can't live without?

Griffin York, the Duke of Halford, has no desire to wed this season--or any season--but his diabolical mother abducts him to "Spinster Cove" and insists he select a bride from the ladies in residence. Griff decides to teach her a lesson that will end the marriage debate forever. He chooses the serving girl.

Overworked and struggling, Pauline Simms doesn't dream about dukes. All she wants is to hang up her barmaid apron and open a bookshop. That dream becomes a possibility when an arrogant, sinfully attractive duke offers her a small fortune for a week's employment. Her duties are simple: submit to his mother's "duchess training"... and fail miserably.

But in London, Pauline isn't a miserable failure. She's a brave, quick-witted, beguiling failure--a woman who ignites Griff's desire and soothes the darkness in his soul. Keeping Pauline by his side won't be easy. Even if Society could accept a serving girl duchess--can a roguish duke convince a serving girl to trust him with her heart?

Three 'the Legends of Muirwood series' by Jeff Wheeler (47North) are $0.99 each as the Kindle Sci-Fi / Fantasy Deal of the Day (December 21) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

* Here's the link on Amazon CA for the Deals of the Day!

Product Description

Today only, Three 'the Legends of Muirwood series' by Jeff Wheeler are $0.99 each.

The History Buff's Guide to the Civil War by Thomas R. Flagel from Cumberland House ($2.99) is the Kindle History Deal of the Day (December 21) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

Product Description

Customer review: "The writing in this book is eloquent, evocative, and brings the Civil War to life."

Do You Think You Know the Civil War?

The History Buff's Guide to the Civil War clears the powder smoke surrounding the war that changed America forever. What were the best, the worst, the largest, and the most lethal aspects of the conflict? With over thirty annotated top ten lists and unexpected new findings, author Thomas R. Flagel will have you debating the most intriguing questions of the Civil War in no time. From the top ten causes of the war to the top ten bloodiest battles, this invaluable guide to the great war between the states will delight and inform you about one of the most crucial periods in American history.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater from Scholastic Press ($1.99) is the Kindle Teens Deal of the Day (December 21) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

* Also on Amazon CA

** Add the professional narration (Audible.Com) of The Scorpio Races for a reduced price of $1.99 after you buy this Kindle book.

Product Description

Customer review: "The beautiful and evocative writing creates satisfying tale."

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shiver and Linger comes a brand new, heartstopping novel.

Some race to win. Others race to survive.

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.

Some riders live.

Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition - the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

As she did in her bestselling Shiver trilogy, author Maggie Stiefvater takes us to the breaking point, where both love and life meet their greatest obstacles, and only the strong of heart can survive. The Scorpio Races is an unforgettable reading experience.

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Evil, Inc. by Glenn Kaplan from Forge Books ($2.99) is the NOOK Daily Find (December 21)

Product Description

Ken Olson climbed the corporate ladder to the top not knowing his promotion would ultimately ruin his life. A colossal cover up, backstabbing in the boardroom, plenty of sabotage and a quest for redemption in this fast-paced thriller from bestselling author Glenn Kaplan (Poison Pill).

** Price-matched on US Amazon

Evil, Inc. by Glenn Kaplan from Pocket Books is $2.99 (Amazon US)

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Audible Daily Deal - Hidden Empire: The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 1 UNABRIDGED by Kevin J. Anderson (Narrated by George Guidall) for $5.95 (Regular Price:$40.57)

Publisher's Summary

An explosive new science fiction series by New York Times best-selling author Kevin J. Anderson, Hidden Empire is the first volume in The Saga of the Seven Suns, modeled after the Star Wars and X-Files universes. Anderson has become the foremost science fiction writer of the century, bringing to life vivid characters and worlds that delight his fans across the galaxy.
The Klikiss, a now-extinct alien civilization, left behind vast technological information that has been discovered by two xenoarchaeologists. One discovery, a device that converts gas planets into life-giving suns is quickly put to the test with unimaginable results. Arising out of the test is a new alien species that threatens every human. Mankind is left with the dim reality, either fight the new alien life form or face humiliation, death, and extinction.
This riveting adventure swings you from one wonderous realm to another as the Hidden Empire is sought after and exposed. Anderson has created a gripping beginning to what will surely be his best series yet. George Guidall has returned a stellar performance and brought these characters to life in vivid detail.
Don't miss a minute of the action in Kevin J. Anderson's Saga of Seven Suns.
©2002 WorldFire, Inc.; (P)2002 Recorded Books, LLC

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Out of the Black by John Rector from Thomas & Mercer ($0.99) is the Amazon AU Kindle Daily Deal (December 22) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

Product Description

Customer review: "The book reads almost like a screenplay, in fact better than some of the recent films in the genre and is worth the time to pick up, read it and enjoy the ride."

To keep the light of his life, he’ll have to do some dark things.

After Matt Caine loses his wife in a car accident, all he has left is his daughter, Anna. But just as the little girl—who survived the accident—finally starts thriving, Matt’s former in-laws threaten to take her away via a bitter custody battle. Desperate to keep Anna and in debt to some dangerous local thugs, Matt has no good options. But he does have Jay, one very bad friend.

Just out of jail and plagued by drug addiction, Jay tempts Matt with a foolproof kidnapping scheme. But what sounds like the perfect solution to all his problems eventually leads Matt through a nightmarish maze of betrayals and reversals, pushing him to his breaking point—and beyond. Now, with his entire life hanging in the balance, Matt makes a pledge of brutal payback.

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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Anchor) is $4.99

Add the professional narration (Audible.Com) of The Night Circus for a reduced price of $12.99 after you buy this Kindle book.

Book Description

Amazon Best Books of the Month, September 2011

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per*formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

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The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente is $2.99 from Feiwel & Friends (Amazon US, Amazon CA)

Add the professional narration (Audible.Com) of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making for a reduced price of $2.99 after you buy this Kindle book.

Book Description

“One of the most extraordinary works of fantasy, for adults or children, published so far this century.”—Time magazine, on the Fairyland series

Amazon Best Books of the Month, May 2011

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn't . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.


With exquisite illustrations by acclaimed artist Ana Juan, Fairyland lives up to the sensation it created when author Catherynne M. Valente first posted it online. For readers of all ages who love the charm of Alice in Wonderland and the soul of The Golden Compass, here is a reading experience unto itself: unforgettable, and so very beautiful.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making is a Publishers Weekly Best Children's Fiction title for 2011.

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Silver (Silver Series) by Rhiannon Held is $2.99 from Tor Books (Amazon US, Amazon CA)

Book Description

Urban fantasy takes a walk on the wild side in Silver, the remarkable debut novel from Rhiannon Held.

Andrew Dare is a werewolf. He’s the enforcer for the Roanoke pack, and responsible for capturing or killing any Were intruders in Roanoke’s territory. But the lone Were he’s tracking doesn’t smell or act like anyone he’s ever encountered. And when he catches her, it doesn’t get any better. She’s beautiful, she’s crazy, and someone has tortured her by injecting silver into her veins. She says her name is Silver, and that she’s lost her wild self and can’t shift any more.

The packs in North America have a live-and-let-live attitude, and try not to overlap with each other. But Silver represents a terrible threat to every Were on the continent.

Andrew and Silver will join forces to track down this menace while discovering their own power and their passion for each other.

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Halo: Glasslands by Karen Traviss is $2.99 from Tor Books (Amazon US, Amazon CA)

Add the professional narration (Audible.Com) of Halo: Glasslands for a reduced price of $11.49 after you buy this Kindle book.

Book Description

The Covenant has collapsed after a long, brutal war that saw billions slaughtered on Earth and her colonies. For the first time in decades, however, peace finally seems possible. But though the fighting's stopped, the war is far from over: it's just gone underground. The UNSC's feared and secretive Office of Naval Intelligence recruits Kilo-Five, a team of ODSTs, a Spartan, and a diabolical AI to accelerate the Sangheili insurrection. Meanwhile, the Arbiter, the defector turned leader of a broken Covenant, struggles to stave off civil war among his divided people.

Across the galaxy, a woman thought to have died on Reach is actually very much alive. Chief scientist Dr. Catherine Halsey broke every law in the book to create the Spartans, and now she's broken some more to save them. Marooned with Chief Mendez and a Spartan team in a Forerunner slipspace bubble hidden in the destroyed planet Onyx, she finds that the shield world has been guarding an ancient secret—a treasure trove of Forerunner technology that will change everything for the UNSC and mankind.

As Kilo-Five joins the hunt for Halsey, humanity's violent past begins to catch up with all of them as disgruntled colony Venezia has been biding its time to strike at Earth, and its most dangerous terrorist has an old, painful link with both Halsey and Kilo-Five that will test everyone's loyalty to the limit.

Halo: Glasslands by Karen Traviss is thrilling, action-packed science fiction that longtime Halo fans and newcomers alike will enjoy.

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LIE by Caroline Bock is $2.99 from St. Martin's Griffin (Amazon US, Amazon CA)

Book Description

Everybody knows, nobody’s talking. . . .

Seventeen-year-old Skylar Thompson is being questioned by the police. Her boyfriend, Jimmy, stands accused of brutally assaulting two young El Salvadoran immigrants from a neighboring town, and she’s the prime witness. Skylar is keeping quiet about what she’s seen, but how long can she keep it up?

But Jimmy was her savior. . . .

When her mother died, he was the only person who made her feel safe, protected from the world. But when she begins to appreciate the enormity of what has happened, especially when Carlos Cortez, one of the victims, steps up to demand justice, she starts to have second thoughts about protecting Jimmy. Jimmy’s accomplice, Sean, is facing his own moral quandary. He’s out on bail and has been offered a plea in exchange for testifying against Jimmy.

The truth must be told. . . .

Sean must decide whether or not to turn on his friend in order to save himself. But most important, both he and Skylar need to figure out why they would follow someone like Jimmy in the first place.

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An Echo Through the Snow by Andrea Thalasinos is $2.99 from Forge Books (Amazon US, Amazon CA)

Book Description

Andrea Thalasinos's debut novel is an inspiring story of how a single act of kindness can transform your life.

Rosalie MacKenzie is headed nowhere until she sees Smokey, a Siberian husky suffering from neglect. Rosalie finds the courage to rescue the dog, and—united by the bond of love that forms between them—they save each other.

Soon Rosalie and Smokey are immersed in the world of competitive dogsled racing. Days are filled with training runs, the stark beauty of rural Wisconsin, and the whoosh of runners on snow. Rosalie discovers that behind the modern sport lies a tragic history: the heartbreaking story of the Chukchi people of Siberia. When Stalin’s Red Army displaced the Chukchi in 1929, many were killed and others lost their homes and their beloved Guardians—the huskies that were the soul and livelihood of their people.

Alternating between past and present, telling of a struggling Chukchi family and a young woman discovering herself, An Echo Through the Snow takes readers on a gripping, profound, and uplifting dogsled ride to the Iditarod and beyond, on a journey of survival and healing.

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Author Special - twenty books by Bernard Cornwell from HarperCollins (£0.99 each) is the Amazon UK Kindle Deal of the Day (December 22) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

Product Description

Author Special - twenty books by Bernard Cornwell are £0.99 each.

Hour of the Wolf (The Van Veeteren Series) by Håkan Nesser from Mantle (£1.39) is the Amazon UK Kindle Deal of the Day (December 22) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

Product Description

Customer review : "The seventh (of ten) in this police-procedural series...a superb example of a classic crime novel"

In the dead of night, in the pouring rain, a drunk driver smashes his car into a young man. He abandons the body at the side of the road, but the incident will set in motion a chain of events which will change his life forever. Soon Chief Inspector Van Veeteren, now retired from the Maardam police force, will face his greatest trial yet as someone close to him is, inexplicably, murdered. Van Veeteren’s former colleagues, desperate for answers, struggle to decipher the clues to this appalling crime. But when another body is discovered, it gradually becomes clear that this killer is acting on their own terrifying logic . . .

She Wore Only White by Dörthe Binkert from AmazonCrossing (£0.99) is the Amazon UK Kindle Romance Daily Deal (December 22) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

Product Description

Customer review: "From the moment the main character appears you are hooked. Other characters have their own stories to tell, all linked to the main thread and none disappoint."

At the turn of the twentieth century, five thousand people a day arrived at New York’s Ellis Island, their journeys to America signifying a new beginning. But the ocean crossing also has a deeper symbolic meaning: there comes a time for us all when we find ourselves afloat, between phases of our lives, where we say goodbye to our past and move on to new horizons.

For Valentina Meyer, harboring a deep secret of tremendous guilt and pain drives her to board a trans-Atlantic voyage as a stowaway, searching desperately for a new life on a distant shore. Accompanying her is a varied cast of eccentric and unique individuals, each in search of a new and better life. Finding solace—even love—in the companionship of their fellow guests, their arrival in America puts an abrupt end to their camaraderie as Valentina’s future is immediately put in jeopardy. A probing, affecting exploration of the hidden corners of the human heart, She Wore Only White is literature at its finest.

The Art of Being Brilliant: Transform Your Life by Doing What Works For You by Andrew Cope and Andy Whittaker from Capstone (£1.79) is the Amazon UK Kindle Nonfiction Daily Deal (December 22) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

Product Description

Customer review: "Lovely book to inspire you to move forward with your life, written in an easy way, would recommend it to everyone!"

A pep talk in your pocket

This short, small, highly illustrated book will fill you to the brim with happiness, positivity, wellbeing and, most importantly, success! Andy Cope and Andy Whittaker are experts in the art of happiness and positive psychology and The Art of Being Brilliant is crammed full of good advice, instructive case studies, inspiring quotes, some funny stuff and important questions to make you think about your work, relationships and life.

You see being brilliant, successful and happy isn’t about dramatic change, it’s about finding out what really works for you and doing more of it! The authors lay down their six common-sense principles that will ensure you focus on what you’re good at and become super brilliant both at work and at home.

• A richly illustrated, 2 colour, small book full of humour, inspiring quotes and solid advice

• A great read with a serious underlying message – how to foster positivity and bring about success in every aspect of your life

• Outlines six common-sense principles that will help you ensure you are the best you can be

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The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin from Harper ($1.99) is the Kindle Deal of the Day (December 22) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

* Also on Amazon CA

** Add the professional narration (Audible.Com) of The Orchardist for a reduced price of $5.99 after you buy this Kindle book.

Product Description

Customer review: "The characters are so well developed, you feel like you are living this story."

Amazon Best Books of the Month, August 2012

At once intimate and epic, The Orchardist is historical fiction at its best, in the grand literary tradition of William Faulkner, Marilynne Robinson, Michael Ondaatje, Annie Proulx, and Toni Morrison.

In her stunningly original and haunting debut novel, Amanda Coplin evokes a powerful sense of place, mixing tenderness and violence as she spins an engrossing tale of a solitary orchardist who provides shelter to two runaway teenage girls in the untamed American West, and the dramatic consequences of his actions.

48 romance books ($1.99 or less each) is the Kindle Romance Deal of the Day (December 22)

** Here's the link on Amazon CA for the Deals of the Day!

Product Description

Today only, 48 romance books are $1.99 or Less Each.

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks from Orbit ($1.99) is the Kindle Sci-Fi / Fantasy Deal of the Day (December 22) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

* Also on Amazon CA

*** Add the professional narration (Audible.Com) of The Black Prism for a reduced price of $4.99 after you buy this Kindle book.

Product Description

Customer review: "Fantastic world building, good magic system, and amazingly good plot. ."

THE BLACK PRISM begins a brand new action-packed tale of magic and adventure ...

Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. Yet Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live.

When Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he's willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

Riding on the Edge: A Motorcycle Outlaw's Tale by John Hall from Motorbooks ($2.99) is the Kindle History Deal of the Day (December 22) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

* Also on Amazon CA

Product Description

Customer review: "A wonderful read with the best outlaw biker book cover. Well worth the purchase."

In the 1960s, John Hall, a Harley-riding hell-raiser, hooked up with the Pagans, a group of like-minded individuals who went on to become the largest outlaw motorcycle club on the East Coast. Hall and the Pagans rode roughshod across the Eastern Seaboard throughout the 1960s, until John and six other Pagans ended up in the Pennsylvania State Penitentiary. While in prison John began taking college classes and earned several degrees.

Now after a career as a journalist and college professor, he returns to the violent days of his youth and smashes up stereotypes like he once smashed up bars, resurrecting long-dead brothers in a writing style that is part Raymond Carver and part Jack Kerouac. Hall presents the Pagans as they really were: hard-living, hard-loving, hard-drinking, hard-fighting rebels, but also hardworking patriots, loyal, lovable characters, a band of brothers whose outlandish behavior forged an all-American outlaw legend in the tradition of Jesse James, Doc Holliday, John Dillinger, and Pretty Boy Floyd.

Riding on the Edge: A Motorcycle Outlaw’s Tale tells the story of John and the Pagans as they rode hard through the tumultuous decade of the 1960s, doing their damnedest to die young and leave good-looking corpses.

The Twelve Days Of Christmas by Gennady Spirin from Margaret K. McElderry Books ($1.99) is the Kindle Kids Deal of the Day (December 22) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

* Also on Amazon CA

Borrow this book for free on a Kindle device with Amazon Prime.

Product Description

Customer review: "I highly recommend anyone looking to build a holiday collection to consider this book."

Age Level: 6 - 8 | Grade Level: 1st - 3rd

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is sung in churches, houses, and concert halls throughout the Christmas season. It would be hard to imagine a Christmas celebration without it. From the partridge in the pear tree to the five golden rings to the twelve drummers drumming, carolers enjoy taking turns singing different verses.

Gennady Spirin's sumptuous paintings bring new life and spectacular beauty to this classic song, making it a gift to be treasured at Christmastime. An Illustrator's Note is included which addresses the song's origin and history.

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The Paladin Prophecy: Book 1 by Mark Frost from Random House Books for Young Readers ($2.99) is the NOOK Daily Find (December 22)

Product Description

Will West was urged by his parents to be average-but when he scores exceptionally well on a nationwide exam an influential prep school comes knocking at his door and he begins to learn how extraordinary he truly is. It's the first installment of a planned trilogy (the second book, Alliance arrives this January) from the co-creator of Twin Peaks, Mark Frost.

** Price-matched on US Amazon

The Paladin Prophecy: Book 1 by Mark Frost from Pocket Books is $2.99 (Amazon US)

Add the professional narration (Audible.Com) of The Paladin Prophecy: Book 1 for a reduced price of $12.99 after you buy this Kindle book.

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Audible Daily Deal - The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are UNABRIDGED by Brene Brown (Narrated by Lauren Fortgang) for $1.95 (Regular Price:$19.95)

Publisher's Summary

In The Gifts of Imperfection, Bren Brown, a leading expert on shame, authenticity, and belonging, shares 10 guideposts on the power of Wholehearted Living - a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness. Each day we face a barrage of images and messages from society and the media telling us who, what, and how we should be. We are led to believe that if we could only look perfect and lead perfect lives, we'd no longer feel inadequate. So most of us perform, please, and perfect, all the while thinking, "What if I can't keep all of these balls in the air? Why isn't everyone else working harder and living up to my expectations? What will people think if I fail or give up? When can I stop proving myself?"
In The Gifts of Imperfection, Bren Brown, Ph.D., a leading expert on shame, authenticity and belonging, shares what she's learned from a decade of research on the power of Wholehearted Living - a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness.
In her 10 guideposts, Brown engages our minds, hearts, and spirits as she explores how we can cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, "No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough," and to go to bed at night thinking, "Yes, I am sometimes afraid, but I am also brave. And, yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable, but that doesn't change the truth that I am worthy of love and belonging."
©2010 Brene Brown (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

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Chef by Jaspreet Singh from Bloomsbury Publishing ($1.39) is the Amazon AU Kindle Daily Deal (December 23) *Wait for price to reflect discount before 1-clicking

Product Description

Customer review: "This is the reason we readers read, for books such as this. So well written it could break your heart."

Kirpal Singh is riding the slow train to Kashmir. With India passing by his window, he reflects on his destination, which is also his past: a military camp to which he has not returned for fourteen years. Kirpal, called Kip, is shy and not yet twenty when he arrives for the first time at General Kumar's camp, nestled in the shadow of the Siachen Glacier. At twenty thousand feet, the glacier makes a forbidding battlefield; its crevasses claimed the body of Kip's father. Kip becomes an apprentice under the camp's chef, Kishen, a fiery mentor who guides him toward the heady spheres of food and women. In this place of contradictions, erratic violence, and extreme temperatures, Kip learns to prepare local dishes and delicacies from around the globe. Even as months pass, Kip, a Sikh, feels secure in his allegiance to India, firmly on the right side of this interminable conflict. Then, one muggy day, a Pakistani "terrorist" with long, flowing hair is swept up on the banks of the river and changes everything. Mesmeric, mournful, and intensely lyrical, Chef is a brave and compassionate debut about hope, love, and memory set against the devastatingly beautiful, war-scarred backdrop of occupied Kashmir.