#there’s the world in danger and there’s Simon in danger and somehow for Jessica

[somewherefornow]

GREEN LANTERN 2021 ANNUAL + MENTIONS OF SIMON

[zagreuses-toast]

My Vetinari Playlist. Some songs are very specific others are entirely vibes based, also a lot of girlboss songs because those fit his approach to being a Tyrant the best somehow. Like Vimes he would vehemently hate some of these songs, I have added them nonetheless. Reasoning/guide to the songs under the cut.

Politics and The City, always the City. I think a lot about Vimes' internal monologue from Night Watch about the city's supply chain and Vetinari being the only ruler of the city to really worry about it's function :

Hymn to the Breaking Strain by Secular Solstice (because the Leslie fish version isn't available on Spotify. Vetinari isn't an engineer but he appreciates their value and danger)

All Along The Watchtower by Bear Mcreary (Vimes gets the Jimi Hendrix, Vetinari gets the version from BSG, which is ominous and was used to unveil a conspiracy)

& by Tally Hall

How Now Dark Cloud by TMBG

I Am Alone by TMBG

Darling The Dose by TMBG

His Kiss The Riot from Hades Town (I also imagine if Vetinari sang his voice would be a baritone of this caliber)

The Body Is A Blade by Japanese Breakfast

Stone Cold Coup D'etat

Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles

Ballad of a Politician by Regina Spektor

Everybody Wants to Rule The World by Tears for Fears (cover by NSP)

She's Always A Woman by Billy Joel

The Circle by Secular Solstice (this is actually a carrot song, but there's a reason Carrot and Vetinari get along)

Gun Song from Assassins (I am always thinking about men at arms and the Gonne)

This is where I would normally put the characters love interest songs but Vetinari's one true love is The Bit:

Hate the Villanelle by TMBG

Poisoning Pigeons in the Park & Pollution by Tom Lerher

Rest Employed by The Stupendium

I Palindrome I by TMBG

Party Dog by Tom Cardy (dog things AND city-state politics)

The World's Address by TMBG

Havelock "do I need a button that says Tyrant" Vetinari and his commitment to the Villain bit:

Villain by Stella Jang

Red Right Hand by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Oh No! By MARINA

Villain by K/DA

Feeling Good by Nina Simone cover by Micheal Bublé (Bond villain sounding song but the lyrics are just enjoying normal nice stuff, exactly Vetinari's thing)

Enemy by Imagine Dragons

Bitch Better Have My Money by Rihanna (soundtrack to drumknott getting out the Tax Ledger)

I'm Alive from Next To Normal

No one Knows My Plan by TMBG

Be Prepared from The Lion King (did you think I wouldn't include a real Disney villain song, besides it's JEREMY IRONS aka Vetinari from the Color of Magic tv series)

Vetinari's nihilism and humanism, the roiling sea of evil and the moral imperative to be better than the gods:

Things Are Not What They Appear by The Gothic Archies

Last Wave by TMBG

This Too Shall Pass by Danny Schmidt

They're Only Human from the Death Note musical (hear me out, it's a conversation between Vetinari and Margolotta, you decide who's who)

Let's Get This Over With by TMBG

Cruel to be Cruel by Jessica Law

Living Thing by Electric Light Orchestra (Vetinari and his difficulty getting rid of one of a kind things, I think about leonard of quirm a lot)

Mad World by Gary Jules and Micheal Andrews

Misc:

I Like Fun by TMBG (entirely for the "my excellence at parkour may be unexpected at the age of 58" also the clock thing)

A Good Song Never Dies by Saint Motel (local patrician haunted by a little goblin girl's music forever)

Little Lion Man by Mumford & Sons (Vetinari and Vimes song, ruining his life/the watch, being part of fixing it, constantly pushing him, occasionally pushing too hard)

[damijon-supersons]

Prompt: Dark future’s end

So an anon asked me if Damian would take the initiative and kiss Jon first. My answer to that is…yea, basically. He totally would. I was motivated to turn that into a cute little story but things got crazy and I somehow ended up with an overly dramatic end-of-the-world scenario. So basically, yeah, Damian would kiss Jon, but it’d be an extra special occasion if he would. So yeah, I hope you enjoy this little thing I whipped up.

Much to everyone’s horror, the time that the Tim Drake of the future warned them about had come to pass. He’d foretold that Jon would, in the future, cause the deaths of many because of his uncontrollable powers. But for some inexplicable reason—perhaps due in the first place to the future Tim’s interference—Jon’s grim destiny didn’t wait for the far future to manifest.

“Jon!” Superman shouted, his arms crossed in front of him to shield his eyes. “Son! You can fight it! Reign it in!”

A shockwave erupted from where Jon stood, twenty yards away from his father and everyone else.

“I’m trying, Dad!” Jon croaked with extreme difficulty. His hands were balled into fists and tears streaming out of his glowing eyes evaporated from the heat radiating from his body in seconds.

Just after defeating Future-Tim and his cohorts, Jon’s powers exploded out of control. Just as Batman had predicted, Jon’s hybrid biology of Kryptonian and human magnified his powers exponentially more than that of his father’s and the resulting heat, energy, and force prevented anyone from coming near him.

Jon was standing in a shallow crater on the ground that he’d inadvertently created during the explosion. Gathered in a circle around him was, his mother and father, his partner Damian, Batman and the rest of the Justice League. None of them could approach Jon, who was periodically emitting miniature solar flares around himself with an intensely bright yellow light. His body crackled with steam and heat, and his eyes were a blinding white. It took all of Jon’s willpower to control his eyes—even a moment’s lapse in focus caused a massive and uncontrollable laser beam of destruction to erupt from them.

Damian called out to Simon and Jessica, the Green Lanterns, and said, “Put a field around me—I know how to stop this!”

“Kid, what are you—” Jessica complained, but Simon nodded to her with complete resolve.

They wrapped Damian in a green cocoon of protective hard light. Everyone turned to Damian.

“Damian, what are you doing?” Batman demanded.

“I know how to stop this, Father!” he shouted so that Batman could hear him over the howling wind that was bursting from Jon’s center. “Something I should have done a long time ago!”

Damian steeled himself and trudged on toward Jon. Every step he took demanded all of his energy as the billowing wave of power pouring out of the younger boy pushed him back. The sheer heat that lingered in the air around Jon felt like boiling water to Damian’s skin, even with the Lanterns’ shield around him.

“Jon, it’s me! I’m coming over!” Damian called out.

“D-Damian…?” Jon blurted out. His voice was garbled, as if something other than sound wanted to blast out of his mouth. “Don’t! You’ll get hurt! I can’t control it!” He turned to face Damian, and for a split-second, his eyes flickered as if to shoot out his barely-suppressed laser beams.

“I don’t care!” Damian shouted. He’d barely flinched when Jon almost fried him. But he had faith in his friend. He saw that the boy was trying his hardest to maintain control—Jon’s fists were shaking and his jaw was tightly clenched as if holding back a sob.

Finally, Damian was in front of Jon. Jon continued to give him a sad look with his glowing eyes.

“Damian,” Jon cried weakly. “Please…I don’t want to hurt you…”

“You won’t. I believe in you,” Damian said gently.

He took Jon in his arms and embraced him.

The moment he came into physical contact with Jon, another shockwave of energy blasted out of the boy, almost knocking Damian to his feet. He stood his ground, however, even as his costume was ripped and blasted to shreds in a hundred places, and his mask had disintegrated. His skin felt burned—even the green barrier around him was flickering and shimmering as the Lanterns struggled to maintain it. Damian was only vaguely aware of everyone else around the perimeter shouting his name.

“You won’t hurt me, Jon,” Damian cooed. “I believe in you. You can do this. You’re not what that future Drake said you are. You are not a destroyer. You are a hero. And…you’re my best friend!”

Damian felt more confident know. It might have been a slight difference, but he could definitely feel the temperature of the air drop from blazing hot to just…slightly blazing.

“My powers…” Jon struggled to say, but his voice was louder now. “I don’t think I can control them!”

“Yes you can!” Damian countered adamantly. “You’re more than your powers! Your powers don’t define you! What makes you Superboy isn’t your strength, or flying, or heat vision…it’s how you’re always willing to do your best to help who needs helping! You are in control Jon—not your powers!”

“Damian…I…I might go off…” Jon stammered. His eyes glowed less brightly now, and the swirling haze of energy around him had shrunk to about half its size.

“Jon…I don’t care,” Damian continued. “I’m bringing you back with me.”

Then, Damian did the last step in his plan, the part he’d been preparing for ever since he’d decided to run in after Jon despite the danger of getting zapped into a million pieces.

Damian leaned forward and pressed his lips against Jon’s.

Jon’s eyes widened in absolute shock, the blinding white glow subsiding until the sky blue of his irises prevailed once more. He stopped breathing, if only to let Damian’s kiss stay and linger for as long as possible. He felt Damian’s lips, dry and cracked from the heat radiating from his body and Jon willed himself stronger than he’d ever done in his life to focus himself.

In a matter of seconds, what had seemed like an entire world’s worth of energy that was gushing out of Jon like a burst dam balled into a dense sphere in his center. Jon felt the wind shift and the boiling heat recede quickly. His skin had stopped glowing, and he could move his muscles freely again. With his newly-regained movement, Jon wrapped his arms around his friend and returned the kiss.

“Damian,” Jon began breathlessly when he pulled off, “what did you do?”

Damian flashed him a wry smile. “I only gave you what you’ve wanted ever since we teamed up.”

“Was it…that obvious?” Jon squirmed.

“Yes,” Damian replied casually. “But if I’d kissed you before then, I was afraid that Superdad might have thrown me into the sun.”

Jon managed a weak laugh. “But what now? Everyone…everyone saw…”

“I don’t care,” Damian said dismissively. “We beat back the future Drake’s greatest fears. You’re back. And I promise you, I’m never letting you go that easily.”

Damian wrapped him in another tight hug. He always keeps his promises.

[lexacourtney]

Thank God that the majority of the books I hauled in February are eBooks, because I do not have room on my shelf for SEVENTEEN new books. I would need a whole new shelf for last month’s haul.

I didn’t realize I’d hauled so many, since most were on my Kindle, and there were only six sitting on my shelf. I’ve read a lot of these…well, eight of them, and I’ve enjoyed them. Others are eARCs off NetGalley. Then there are a couple that were Kindle One-Click buys and some freebies and too good to miss discounts.

Basically, I acquired more eBooks in Feb 2020, than I’ve acquired in literal months.

I’m going to stop trying to intro this blog post, and just get into the books I hauled last month. It’s probably going to take me a year as it is, so better to stop procrastinating.

The Bone Charmer (The Bone Charmer #1) – Breeana Shields

(US Hardcover – Signed) / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Review / GR

Saskia knows her mother saw multiple paths for her, yet chose one she knew Saskia wouldn’t want. Their argument leads to a fracture in one of the bones. Broken bones are always bad luck, but this particular set of bones have been infused with extra magic, and so the break has devastating consequences—Saskia’s future has split as well. Now she will live her two potential paths simultaneously. Only one future can survive. And Saskia’s life is in danger in both.

I read an ARC of this a while back and absolutely loved it. So much, and I highly recommend. Unfortunately, when I moderated Brigid and Breeana’s signing, I wasn’t able to get a copy of her book. The Christiana Barnes and Noble was kind enough to notify me when they got signed copies in stock and I was able to snag one that way. It might only be March, but this is one of my fave 2020 reads.

Chasing Lucky – Jenn Bennett

(eARC NetGalley) / GR

In this coming-of-age romance perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen, scandal and romance collide when an ambitious teen returns to her hometown only to have her plans interrupted after falling for the town’s “bad boy”—a.k.a. her childhood best friend.

Honestly, this was ‘Read Now’ on NetGalley for like a hot second so I snagged it. I didn’t realize it was her newest release – I wasn’t paying attention – but it sounded cute, so I clicked it. I doubt I would have been approved otherwise. I’ve heard good things, so I’m looking forward to reading it. I’m rediscovering my love for YA contemporaries, so I’m hoping this doesn’t disappoint.

Chain of Gold (The Last Hours #1) – Cassandra Clare

(US ARC) / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Review / GR

Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague.

I don’t understand how I won an ARC of this book. I don’t. When I saw the email from Simon and Schuster in my inbox I just kept going ‘No Way’ over and over and over. I loved this book. It’s been a while since I’ve read a Shadowhunter book and this did not disappoint. So good. Seriously.

You Don’t Live Here – Robyn Schneider

(US ARC) / GR

Robyn Schneider, author of The Beginning of Everything, delivers a witty and heartbreaking tale of first love, second beginnings, and last chances in this timely and authentic bisexual coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera.

This is one of my top anticipated reads. I’ve loved every single YA contemporary Robyn has published, each new one becoming my new favorite book of hers. Invisible Ghosts is freaking amazing, you should read it. So, when I found out that she had a new book coming out, I desperately wanted a chance to read it early. I somehow was able to trade for this copy and I’m seriously dying to read it, but I have a few other closer upcoming releases I need to read first. I seriously cannot wait.

The Court of Miracles (The Court of Miracles #1) – Kester Grant

(eARC NetGalley) / GR

In the violent urban jungle of an alternate 1828 Paris, the French Revolution has failed and the city is divided between merciless royalty and nine underworld criminal guilds, known as the Court of Miracles. Eponine (Nina) Thénardier is a talented cat burglar and member of the Thieves Guild. Nina’s life is midnight robberies, avoiding her father’s fists, and watching over her naïve adopted sister, Cosette (Ettie). When Ettie attracts the eye of the Tiger–the ruthless lord of the Guild of Flesh–Nina is caught in a desperate race to keep the younger girl safe. Her vow takes her from the city’s dark underbelly to the glittering court of Louis XVII. And it also forces Nina to make a terrible choice–protect Ettie and set off a brutal war between the guilds, or forever lose her sister to the Tiger.

I requested this on a whim and fully expected to be declined. So needless to say, the email telling me I was approved was pretty shocking. Like most of these books on this list, I cannot wait to read this. It sounds amazing. I haven’t heard that much about it, but it seems to be getting a pretty good response.

The Hollow Gods (The Chaos Cycle Duology #1) – A.J. Vrana

(eARC NetGalley) / GR

A maelstrom of ancient grudges, forgotten traumas, and deadly secrets loom in the foggy forests of Black Hollow. Can three unlikely heroes put aside their fears and unite to confront a centuries-old evil? Will they uncover the truth behind the fable, or will the cycle repeat?

While I’m excited for this, I’m not 100% I’m going to love it, or that it’s going to be the book for me. Last year I read Marrow Charm, published with The Parliament House Press and it was so good it put me in a slump. Since then, I’ve been super anticipating books coming from this publisher, because they all sound so damn amazing. This one hit NetGalley and I knew I needed to give it a shot. I went into Marrow Charm with no expectations and was blown away, so I’m hoping for a repeat.

Mageborn (The Hollow King #1) – Jessica Thorne

(eARC NetGalley) / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / Review / GR

A dark and addictive fantasy read for fans of Graceling and Sarah J. Maas. The life of an orphan soldier becomes entwined with that of the mysterious heir to the throne, whose very presence draws out the secret magic living inside her: a magic that breaks every law she is duty-bound to uphold…

I requested this due to a line saying, “for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Graceling” and the cover. I didn’t even care what the specifics in the synopsis were. Then I realized that it was set to come out 8 days from when I requested. Then I was approved, and I read it. Y’all should read this book. If you’re an Elise Kova fan, you’re going to love this. I’m already tired of waiting for book 2, I want it now.

Undone (Unknown #3) – Wendy Higgins

(US Paperback) / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Review / GR

Amber Tate never dreamed their heart-wrenching escape from the enemy’s attack would lead them to the most beautiful place she’s ever seen, marred by one ugly fact; it’s under enemy control. Like everywhere else in the world, Elmendorf military base in Alaska has been captured, and it’s time to take it back—all of it—one base, one city at a time. After losing so much, Amber clings to the only precious person she has left, and vows to sacrifice everything to help save the Earth.

Remy Haines is a lover, not a fighter, so when she finds herself in enemy territory, expected to feign allegiance while gathering intel for the rebel cause, she’s never been more out of her element. Tensions only increase when her feelings for Jacob “Tater” Tate won’t go away, and the enemy’s leader takes an interest in her. She’s torn between what her heart wants, and what she knows she should do. As for what her body needs…well, it’s always had a mind of its own. 

I’m annoyed I’m done this trilogy. I need more SF dystopian in my life. I thought this book was a good ending to the trilogy, but I could easily read like 2-3 more books in this world, with these characters. If you’re looking for a NA, SF dystopian, slow burn romance, some alien invasion, and creating your own family, then look no further. This trilogy is slept on and more people should be reading it.

All the Stars and Teeth (All the Stars and Teeth #1)– Adalyn Grace

(OwlCrate Exclusive Hardcover) / GR

Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice, Adalyn Grace’s All the Stars and Teeth is a thrilling fantasy for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.

I’m really hoping I have time this month to read this. It’s been on my radar for months and I’m dying to get to it. I have a few other books I have to read, plus the last couple on my TBR. So, if I can get my act together and blow through some books, I should be able to read it.

No Man Can Tame (The Dark-Elves of Nightbloom #1) – Miranda Honfleur

(Kindle eBook) / GR

Aless and Veron face opposition at every turn, with humans and dark-elves alike opposing the union violently, as well as their own feelings of dissonance toward each other. Can two people from cultures that despise one another fall in love? Can a marriage between them bond two opposing worlds together, or will it tear them apart for good?

I don’t really know much about this, though, I think it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling? I’m a fan of Miranda and her writing, so when this was either a freebie, or on sale for like $.99 I knew I needed to grab it.

Soul in Darkness – Wendy Higgins

(Kindle eBook) / ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / Review / GR

Based on the Roman/Greek mythology of Cupid and Psyche by Lucius Apuleius, New York Times bestseller Wendy Higgins brings the tale to life, weaving layers that show exactly how a sacrificial lamb can be enchanted by an unseen monster.

Okay, so I’ve read this, but over Valentine’s Day weekend, Wendy put it up for free and so I snatched a copy for my Kindle. I enjoyed the book and I’m always a fan of Wendy, her writing and the stories she tells, so I wanted to support her.

Witch of the Lake Trilogy – Miranda Honfleur & Nicolette Andrews

(Kindle eBook Box Set) / GR

Find out what lurks beneath the lake in FEAST OF THE MOTHER, the first entry in a romantic dark fantasy series inspired by Slavic mythology and folklore, sure to please fans of Juliet Marillier’s Blackthorn & Grim series and Naomi Novik’s Uprooted.

Again, I know pretty much nothing about this series, but Elise Kova posted, and it was only like, $.99 for all three, or something like that. I’d seen her talk about the books before, and I trust her opinion. So, when I saw the books for that price, I knew I’d have to be stupid to not spend the money.

The Will of Yggdrasil Series – Sara C. Roethle

(eARC & Kindle eBooks) / Fated, Fallen, Fury / GR

Previously the Bitter Ashes Series.

Fated Synopsis:

Madeline knew her life was strange, and not just because she could sense the emotions of others. Having people die by your hand on two separate occasions can make a girl question her very existence. Still, she never thought she’d wake up in a world straight out of Norse myth. A world where corpses reanimate all on their own . . . and she’s supposed to be their executioner.

A normal person would run screaming into the night, but there’s something about dark and alluring Alaric that’s giving Madeline pause, and it’s not the fact that he turns a little feline from time to time. Together they must search for an elusive magical charm, a remnant of the gods themselves. Madeline’s life depends on finding it first . . . and so does the entire fate of humanity.

Elise Kova posted in her Facebook group about the first book in this series – Fated and asked if anyone would be willing to read it and review it. There was a link to a free download, so I clicked. I didn’t realize that this series was a republished version of one of Sara’s earlier series, so I was a bit confused at first…then I blew through the first two books in like 8 hours? I’ve also already bought and downloaded book 3. Each time I finish a book in this series, I right away buy book 2. These are really easy to read and just enjoy and get lost in. I won’t go into too much detail since my review will be up soon, but so good.

The Queen’s Wing (The Queen’s Wing #1) – Jessica Thorne

(Kindle eBook) / GR

For any other young woman the chance to become royalty would be a dream come true, but for Bel, the rigidity of court life is like a prison sentence. And while Conleith is an unexpectedly intriguing – and attractive – puzzle… could she ever love him when it would mean turning her back on her feelings for Shae, her first love and last connection to home?

Then a brutal assassination attempt nearly takes her life, and Bel learns that there’s more on the line than just her happiness. Is it the same faceless enemy who attacked her homeland and, with dangers around every corner, who in the palace can she trust?

I think I saw an ad on Twitter that this book was on sale for $.99 and since I was a huge fan of Mageborn I figured I’d give this one a go! It sounds good and I’m now a Jessica Thorne fan. If worse comes to worst, I’m out $.99 but I doubt that’ll be the case.

Greythorne (Bloodleaf #2) – Crystal Smith

(US Coverless ARC) / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Review / GR

Princess Aurelia’s life is turned upside down when the kingdom she thought she saved turns to ruin, a loved one is tragically killed in a shipwreck, and her home country refuses to respect her brother’s legitimate claim to the throne. With no place left to call her own, Aurelia returns to Greythorne Manor—her best friend’s family mansion—only to get swept up in a coup d’état on the night of her brother’s coronation.

With everyone turned against her and enemies closing in on all sides, Aurelia has nothing left to lose in a mad fight to protect the only people she has left—her family. But in her darkest moments when all seems grim, will Aurelia find a spark of hope from a love she thought long lost?

This book. It’s been weeks and I’m still not over it. I loved it so much. I was a fan of Bloodleaf, but it wasn’t an automatic favorite. Greythorne is an automatic favorite and you all are not ready for what Crystal pulls off – and pulls off spectacularly – in this book. It’s so amazingly good and ugh, the wait for book 3 might very well kill me. I’m really not over the ending of the book. At all.

Yikes, this is a long post, sorry about that! Hopefully next months won’t be as long…as I typed that, I realized that, that won’t be the case. I have two book events next month, plus at least 3 preorders, and a book box? March’s Haul post might very well rival this one.

Anyways!

What was your favorite book you hauled this month?

I’m kind of torn between Greythorne, You Don’t Live Here and Chain of Gold.

  Feb’20 Book Haul So. Many. Books. omfg. #newpost #blogpost #bookpost #bookblog #books #blog #blogger #bloggerswanted #bloggerstribe #bloggingcommunity #bookish #bookhaul Thank God that the majority of the books I hauled in February are eBooks, because I…

[thediaboazulbookstore-blog]

Talking to My Daughter About the Economy by Yanis Varoufakis The former Finance Minister of Greece & Professor of Economic Theory at the University of Athens, visiting professor at the University of Texas, uses personal stories and famous myths to explain what economics is & why it has the power to change our world.  Why is there so much inequality? In this intimate and accessible book, the world famous economist sets out to answer his daughter Xenia's deceptively simple question. Drawing on memories of her childhood and a variety of well-known tales, from Oedipus & Faust to Frankenstein & The Matrix, the book explains everything you need to know in order to understand why economics is the most important drama of our times. It is a book that helps to make sense of a troubling world while inspiring us to make it a better one.

The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad In A Global World by Maya Jasanoff A visionary exploration of the life and times of Joseph Conrad, his turbulent age of globalization & our own, from one of the most exciting young historians writing today. Migration, terrorism, the tensions between global capitalism and nationalism, the promise and peril of a technological and communications revolution: these forces shaped the life and work of Joseph Conrad at the dawn of the twentieth century. In this brilliant new interpretation of one of the great voices in modern literature, Maya Jasanoff reveals Conrad as a prophet of globalization as we recognize it today. In a compelling blend of history, biography and travelogue, Maya Jasanoff follows Conrad's routes and the stories of his four greatest works: The Secret Agent, Lord Jim, Heart of Darkness, and Nostromo. Genre-bending, intellectually thrilling and deeply humane, The Dawn Watch embarks on a spellbinding expedition into the dark heart of Conrad's world, and through it to our own.

Thank You for Being Late by Thomas L. Friedman We all sense it: something big is going on. You feel it in your workplace, talking to your children, reading  or watching the news. Our lives are speeding up and it is dizzying. In Thank You for Being Late, version 2.0, with a new afterword, the author exposes the tectonic movements that are reshaping the world today and explains how to get the most out of them and cushion their worst impacts. To understand the twenty-first century, you need to understand that the planet's three largest forces: Moore's law (technology), the Market (globalization), and Mother Nature (climate change and biodiversity loss), all accelerating at once, transforming the workplace, politics, geopolitics, ethics and community. An extraordinary release of energy is reshaping everything. It is creating vast new opportunities for individuals and small groups to save the world or perhaps to destroy it. The book is a work of contemporary history that serves as a field manual for how to think about this era of accelerations. Also an argument for 'being late' , for pausing to appreciate this amazing historical epoch we're passing through and reflecting on its possibilities and dangers. Written with his trademark vitality, wit and optimism, with unequalled access to many of those at the forefront of the changes he describes. Thank You for Being Late is Friedman's most ambitious book & an essential guide to the present and the future.

Women & Power by Mary Beard Britain's best-known classicist is also a committed and vocal feminist. With wry wit, she revisits the gender agenda and shows how history has treated powerful women. Her examples range from the classical world to the modern day, from Medusa and Athena to Theresa May and Elizabeth Warren. Beard explores the cultural underpinnings of misogyny, considering the public voice of women, our cultural assumptions about women's relationship with power, and how powerful women resist being packaged into a male template. With personal reflections on her own experiences of the sexism and gendered aggression she has endured online, Mary asks: if women aren't perceived to be within the structures of power, isn't it power that we need to redefine? 

Why Are We ‘Artists’? 100 Manifestos selected by Jessica Lack “Art is not a luxury. Art is a basic social need to which everyone has a right”. This extraordinary collection of 100 artists manifestos from across the globe over the last 100 years brings together activists, post-colonialists, surrealists, socialists, nihilists and a host of other voices. From the Negritude movement in Africa and Martinique to Brazil's Mud/Meat Sewer Manifesto, from Iraqi modernism to Australia's Cyberfeminist Manifesto, they are by turns personal, political, utopian, angry, sublime and revolutionary. Some have not been published in English before; some were written in climates of censorship and brutality; some contain visions of a future still on the horizon. What unites them is the belief that art can change the world.

Belonging : The Sory Of The Jews by Simon Schama It’s a magnificent cultural history abundantly alive with energy, character and colour. It spans centuries and continents, from the expulsion from Spain in 1492 it navigates miracles & massacres, wandering, discrimination, harmony & tolerance, to the brink of the 20th century and, seemingly, a point of profound hope. With various individual stories: not just of rabbis and philosophers, but of a poetess in the Venice’s ghetto, a boxer in Georgian England, a general in Ming China or an opera composer in 19th century Germany. The story unfolds in Kerala and Mantua, the starlit hills of Galilee, the rivers of Colombia, the kitchens of Istanbul, the taverns of Ukraine and the mining camps of California. It sails in caravels, rides stage coaches & railways; trudges the dawn streets of London, hobbles along with the remnant of Napoleon's ruined army. Through Schama's passionate telling of this second chronicle in an epic tale, a history emerges of the Jewish people that feels it is the story of everyone, of humanity.

The Inner Life Of Animals by Peter Wohlleben From the leafy forest floor to the inside of a beehive, this book shows us microscopic levels of observation as well as forcing us to confront the big philosophical, ethical and scientific questions. Stories of a grateful humpback whale, of a hedgehog who has nightmares, and of a magpie who commits adultery, bees who plan for the future. Our fellow creatures are not mindless automatons driven by an inflexible genetic code, but individuals with personality and feeling. The Inner Life of Animals will show you these living things in a new light and will open up the animal kingdom like never before. More and more researchers are realising that animals in fact experience a rich emotional life. Acting as our interpreter of the animal world and of the fascinating science, Peter Wohlleben brings this new research to life with his own observations of his favourite creatures.

Sensation by Isabel Losada Blending humour, determined curiosity and breathtaking honesty the author tackles the still-taboo subject of sexuality and pleasure. Her brave, funny, vulnerable and sometimes shocking quest to find out how we can make our sex lives more passionate and blissful is a must-read. A slightly terrified Isabel begins with a women's workshop where she has to get naked; she journeys through the first international conference on clitoral stroking; is informed of eleven different forms of orgasm ; and endures Kegel exercises and mystical sensations with tantric masters. Irreverent, yet open-minded, Sensation is both moving and challenging.  For anyone who has ever been tempted to dip their toes into the deep waters of sexual exploration, this book plunges you straight in.

Winter by Karl Ove Knausgaard The second volume in his autobiographical quartet based on the seasons, Winter is an achingly beautiful collection of daily meditations and letters addressed directly to Knaugsaard's unborn daughter. “It’s strange that there is a first time to see the sky, a first time to see the sun, a first time to feel the air against one’s skin.../... In my life that almost never happens anymore. But soon it will.” We rejoin the writer as the birth of his daughter draws near. In preparation for her arrival, he takes stock of the world, seeing it anew. While new life is on the horizon, the earth is also in hibernation, waiting for the warmer weather to return. In his inimitably sensitive style, he writes about everything from the moon, winter boots and messiness, to owls and birthdays. Taking nothing for granted, he fills these everyday familiar objects and ideas with new meaning. Startling, compassionate, and exquisitely beautiful, Knausgaard's writing is like nothing else. Somehow, he shows the world as it really is, at once mundane and sublime.