Books Read in 2023 on paapereira.xyz

Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton (2009)

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton (2009)

Author: Michael Crichton
First Published: November 24, 2009
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

The Caribbean, 1665. A remote colony of the English Crown, the island of Jamaica holds out against the vast supremacy of the Spanish empire. Port Royal, its capital, is a cutthroat town of taverns, grog shops, and bawdy houses.

In this steamy climate there’s a living to be made, a living that can end swiftly by disease - or by dagger. For Captain Charles Hunter, gold in Spanish hands is gold for the taking, and the law of the land rests with those ruthless enough to make it.

Wool (Silo #1) by Hugh Howey (2012)

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 11:30:00 +0000

Wool (Silo #1) by Hugh Howey (2012)

Author: Hugh Howey
First Published: January 27, 2012
Series: Silo Book 1
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

Wool is the story of mankind clawing for survival. The world outside has grown toxic, the view of it limited, talk of it forbidden. The remnants of humanity live underground in a single silo.

But there are always those who hope, who dream. These are the dangerous people, the residents who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple. They are given the very thing they want: They are allowed to go outside.

Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell Jr. (1938)

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 18:30:00 +0000

Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell Jr. (1938)

Author: John W. Campbell Jr.
First Published: August 1, 1938
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

The novella that formed the basis of “The Thing” is the John W. Campbell classic about an antarctic research camp that discovers and thaws the ancient, frozen body of a crash-landed alien. The creature revives with terrifying results, shape-shifting to assume the exact form of animal and man, alike. Paranoia ensues as a band of frightened men work to discern friend from foe, and destroy the menace before it challenges all of humanity. The story, hailed as “one of the finest science fiction novellas ever written” by the SF Writers of America, is best known to fans as THE THING, as it was the basis of Howard Hawks’ The Thing From Another World in 1951, and John Carpenter’s The Thing in 1982.

Crystal World (Undying Mercenaries #20) by B.V. Larson (2023)

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 14:30:00 +0000

Crystal World (Undying Mercenaries #20) by B.V. Larson (2023)

Author: B.V. Larson
First Published: October 6, 2023
Series: Undying Mercenaries Book 20
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

The Silicoids are a growing threat from beyond the frontier. Launching waves of crystalline drones, they ravage colonies all along the border of the Empire. Earth has been forced to ally with her enemies against this mysterious alien menace.Scouts have located a forward base of the freakish creatures, who plot to annihilate all meat-based lifeforms. Earth assembles a joint task force with legions of Rigellian bears, Mogwa battlecruisers, and Saurian troops. Together, they strike as one against Crystal World.After annoying every superior in his chain of command, James McGill is the first to be deployed on the unexplored planet. His to establish a beachhead on this strange, hostile ground. Surrounded and cut off, his troops fight to the bitter end against creatures made of earth, stone, and jewels.

Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days (Revelation Space Book 1.5) by Alastair Reynolds (2003)

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days (Revelation Space Book 1.5) by Alastair Reynolds (2003)

Author: Alastair Reynolds
First Published: February 1, 2003
Series: Revelation Space Book 1.5
Revelation Space Universe
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

“Diamond Dogs"The planet Golgotha – supposedly lifeless – resides in a remote star system, far from those inhabited by human colonists. It is home to an enigmatic machine-like structure called the Blood Spire, which has already brutally and systematically claimed the lives of one starship crew that attempted to uncover its secrets. But nothing will deter Richard Swift from exploring this object of alien origin…

Parallel Worlds by Michio Kaku (2013)

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Parallel Worlds by Michio Kaku (2013)

Author: Michio Kaku
First Published: June 18, 2013
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

In this thrilling journey into the mysteries of our cosmos, best-selling author Michio Kaku takes us on a dizzying ride to explore black holes and time machines, multidimensional space, and most tantalizing of all, the possibility that parallel universes may exist alongside our own.

Kaku skillfully guides us through the latest innovations in string theory and its latest iteration, M-theory, which posits that our universe may be just one in an endless multiverse, a singular bubble floating in a sea of infinite bubble universes. If M-theory is proven correct, we may perhaps finally find an answer to the question, “What happened before the big bang?”

Bethany's Sin by Robert R. McCammon (1980)

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 22:00:00 +0000

Bethany’s Sin by Robert R. McCammon (1980)

Author: Robert R. McCammon
First Published: January 1, 1980
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

A family moves to a small town dominated by a murderous cult Despite its eerie name, Bethany’s Sin is a pleasant place. After a life of grim poverty, this new community seems like heaven to Evan Reid and his family. With its quaint shops, manicured lawns, and fresh summer smell, the town charms the Vietnam veteran, his wife, and their daughter like nowhere else they have ever been. But beneath that cheerful façade lurks something deadly. As soon as they enter their new house, Evan is consumed by fear. He can’t place its source, but there is something about the town’s mayor, Kathryn Drago, which makes him uneasy. By day she is a harmless retired archaeologist. But at night she leads an Amazonian cult whose next ritual calls for a secret the blood of Evan Reid.

Red Company: First Strike! (Red Company #1) by B.V. Larson (2023)

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 13:30:00 +0000

Red Company: First Strike! (Red Company #1) by B.V. Larson (2023)

Author: B.V. Larson
First Published: May 20, 2023
Series: Red Company Book 1
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

For centuries, mankind has searched for nonhuman civilizations in the cosmos. These lost alien societies have finally been discovered—but they were destroyed long ago.

Devin Starn starts off as a lowly rock-rat aboard Borag , a mining ship working the dangerous end of the asteroid belt. Slowly, he gains prestige and purpose. When an alien base is uncovered, however, he must risk everything to protect his ship and her crew.

Dead Beat (The Dresden Files #7) by Jim Butcher (2005)

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 22:00:00 +0000

Dead Beat (The Dresden Files #7) by Jim Butcher (2005)

Author: Jim Butcher
First Published: May 3, 2005
Series: The Dresden Files Book 7
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Paranormal investigations are Harry Dresden’s business and Chicago is his beat, as he tries to bring law and order to a world of wizards and monsters that exists alongside everyday life. And though most inhabitants of the Windy City don’t believe in magic, the Special Investigations Department of the Chicago PD knows better. Karrin Murphy is the head of S. I. and Harry’s good friend. So when a killer vampire threatens to destroy Murphy’s reputation unless Harry does her bidding, he has no choice. The vampire wants the Word of Kemmler (whatever that is) and all the power that comes with it. Now, Harry is in a race against time—and six merciless necromancers—to find the Word before Chicago experiences a Halloween night to wake the dead…

Rose Madder by Stephen King (1995)

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 17:00:00 +0000

Rose Madder by Stephen King (1995)

Author: Stephen King
First Published: January 1, 1995
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Roused by a single drop of blood, Rosie Daniels wakes up to the chilling realisation that her husband is going to kill her. And she takes flight – with his credit card.

Alone in a strange city, Rosie begins to build a new life: she meets Bill Steiner and she finds an old junk shop painting, “Rose Madder,” which strangely seems to want her as much as she wants it.

Slow Time Between the Stars (The Far Reaches #6) by John Scalzi (2023)

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Slow Time Between the Stars (The Far Reaches #6) by John Scalzi (2023)

Author: John Scalzi
First Published: June 27, 2023
Series: The Far Reaches Book 6
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

An artificial intelligence on a star-spanning mission explores the farthest horizons of human potential—and its own purpose—in a mind-bending short story by New York Times bestselling author John Scalzi. Equipped with the entirety of human knowledge, a sentient ship is launched on a last-ditch journey to find a new home for civilization. Trillions of miles. Tens of thousands of years. In the space between, the AI has plenty of time to think about life, the vastness of the universe, everything it was meant to do, and—with a perspective created but not limited by humans—what it should do.

Just Out of Jupiter's Reach (The Far Reaches #5) by Nnedi Okorafor (2023)

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Just Out of Jupiter’s Reach (The Far Reaches #5) by Nnedi Okorafor (2023)

Author: Nnedi Okorafor
First Published: June 27, 2023
Series: The Far Reaches Book 5
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

A revolutionary experiment in space opens a woman’s eyes to the meaning of solitude in a thought-provoking short story by New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor. Tornado Onwubiko is one of seven people on Earth paired with sentient ships to explore and research the cosmos for twenty million euros. A decade of solitary life for a lifetime of wealth. Five years into the ten-year mission of total isolation comes a a temporary meetup among fellow travelers. A lot can happen in a week. For Tornado, who left a normal life behind, a little company can be life-changing.

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury (1972)

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury (1972)

Author: Ray Bradbury
First Published: January 1, 1972
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

A fast-moving, eerie…tale set on Halloween night. Eight costumed boys running to meet their friend Pipkin at the haunted house outside town encounter instead the huge and cadaverous Mr. Moundshroud. As Pipkin scrambles to join them, he is swept away by a dark Something, and Moundshroud leads the boys on the tail of a kite through time and space to search the past for their friend and the meaning of Halloween.

Say Cheese and Die! (Goosebumps #4) by R.L. Stine (1992)

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Say Cheese and Die! (Goosebumps #4) by R.L. Stine (1992)

Author: R.L. Stine
First Published: November 1, 1992
Series: Goosebumps Book 4
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

Greg thinks there is something wrong with the old camera he found. The photos keep turning out . . . different.When Greg takes a picture of his father’s brand-new car, it’s wrecked in the photo. And then his dad crashes the car.It’s like the camera can tell the future–or worse. Maybe it makes the future!Who is going to take the fall next for the evil camera?

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix (2014)

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix (2014)

Author: Grady Hendrix
First Published: September 23, 2014
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.

To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.

Monster Blood (Goosebumps #3) by R.L. Stine (1992)

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Monster Blood (Goosebumps #3) by R.L. Stine (1992)

Author: R.L. Stine
First Published: September 1, 1992
Series: Goosebumps Book 3
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

While staying with his weird great-aunt Kathryn, Evan visits an eerie old toy store and buys a dusty can of Monster Blood. It’s fun to play with at first. And Evan’s dog, Trigger, likes it so much, he eats some. But then Evan notices something weird about the slimy green ooze. It keeps growing. And growing. And growing.And all that growing has given the Monster Blood a monstrous appetite. . . .

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (2013)

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 11:00:00 +0100

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (2013)

Author: Neil Gaiman
First Published: June 18, 2013
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Sussex, England: A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. He is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock. He hasn’t thought of Lettie in decades, and yet sitting by the pond (a pond that she’d claimed was an ocean), the unremembered past comes flooding back. Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie - magical, comforting, wise beyond her years - promised to protect him, no matter what.

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (2007)

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (2007)

Author: Joe Hill
First Published: February 13, 2007
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals . . . a used hangman’s noose . . . a snuff film. An aging death-metal rock god, his taste for the unnatural is as widely known to his legions of fans as the notorious excesses of his youth. But nothing he possesses is as unlikely or as dreadful as his latest discovery, an item for sale on the Internet, a thing so terribly strange, Jude can’t help but reach for his wallet.

Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson (2023)

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 13:00:00 +0100

Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson (2023)

Author: Walter Isaacson
First Published: September 12, 2023
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

When Elon Musk was a kid in South Africa, he was regularly beaten by bullies. One day a group pushed him down some concrete steps and kicked him until his face was a swollen ball of flesh. He was in the hospital for a week. But the physical scars were minor compared to the emotional ones inflicted by his father, an engineer, rogue, and charismatic fantasist.

Stay Out of the Basement (Goosebumps #2) by R.L. Stine (1992)

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Stay Out of the Basement (Goosebumps #2) by R.L. Stine (1992)

Author: R.L. Stine
First Published: July 1, 1992
Series: Goosebumps Book 2
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

Dr. Brewer is doing a little plant-testing in his basement. Nothing to worry about. Harmless, really. But Margaret and Casey Brewer are worried about their father. Especially when they…meet…some of the plants he is growing down there. Then they notice that their father is developing plantlike tendencies. In fact, he is becoming distinctly weedy-and seedy. Is it just part of their father’s “harmless” experiment? Or has the basement turned into another little shop of horrors?

Light Bringer (Red Rising Saga #6) by Pierce Brown (2023)

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Light Bringer (Red Rising Saga #6) by Pierce Brown (2023)

Author: Pierce Brown
First Published: July 25, 2023
Series: Red Rising Saga Book 6
Score: 10/10

Goodreads

“The measure of a man is not the fear he sows in his enemies. It is the hope he gives his friends.”—Virginia au Augustus

The Reaper is a legend, more myth than man: the savior of worlds, the leader of the Rising, the breaker of chains.

Level Six (Killday #2) by William Ledbetter (2020)

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 18:00:00 +0100

Level Six (Killday #2) by William Ledbetter (2020)

Author: William Ledbetter
First Published: December 3, 2020
Series: Killday Book 2
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Fifteen years after warring artificial intelligences nearly destroyed Earth, a young woman finds an artifact from that struggle, upsetting a delicate balance of power and dragging her into the middle of a new fight for humanity’s survival.

With a significant portion of the planet covered in heat-absorbing black dust, Earth’s biosphere teeters on the edge of collapse. One AI faction is attempting to fix the damage, with huge machines trundling across the countryside sucking up dust and planting grass, while another faction cares only about elevating itself to a higher plane of intelligence and will destroy anyone who gets in the way.

The Long Game (The Far Reaches #4) by Ann Leckie (2023)

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 21:00:00 +0100

The Long Game (The Far Reaches #4) by Ann Leckie (2023)

Author: Ann Leckie
First Published: June 27, 2023
Series: The Far Reaches Book 4
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

An inquisitive life-form finds there’s more to existence than they ever dreamed in an imaginative short story by New York Times bestselling and Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author Ann Leckie. On a far-off colony, humans tower over the local species who grow the plants they need. Narr keeps the workers in line—someone has to. But when Narr learns just how short-lived their species is, the little alien embarks on a big to find out why their people die and how to stop it. Stubborn and hopeful, Narr has a plan for the locals, for humans, and for the future.

Falling Bodies (The Far Reaches #3) by Rebecca Roanhorse (2023)

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Falling Bodies (The Far Reaches #3) by Rebecca Roanhorse (2023)

Author: Rebecca Roanhorse
First Published: June 27, 2023
Series: The Far Reaches Book 3
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

A young man caught between two disparate worlds searches for his place in the universe in a wrenching short story by New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse.

Light-years from home, it’s Ira’s second chance. Just another anonymous student at a space station university. Not the orphan whose Earther heritage was erased. Not some social experiment put on display by his adoptive father. Not the criminal recruited by the human rebels. But when Ira’s loyalties clash once again, two wars break one on the ground and one within himself. Which will Ira stand with? Which will take him down?

Lost Stars by Claudia Gray (2015)

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Lost Stars by Claudia Gray (2015)

Author: Claudia Gray
First Published: September 4, 2015
Series: Star Wars Universe
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

This thrilling Young Adult novel gives readers a macro view of some of the most important events in the Star Wars universe, from the rise of the Rebellion to the fall of the Empire. Readers will experience these major moments through the eyes of two childhood friends–Ciena Ree and Thane Kyrell–who have grown up to become an Imperial officer and a Rebel pilot. Now on opposite sides of the war, will these two star-crossed lovers reunite, or will duty tear them–and the galaxy–apart? Star Wars: Lost Stars also includes all-new post- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi content, as well as hints and clues about the upcoming film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, making this a must-read for all Star Wars fans.

A World Without Email by Cal Newport (2021)

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 15:00:00 +0100

A World Without Email by Cal Newport (2021)

Author: Cal Newport
First Published: March 2, 2021
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

Modern knowledge workers communicate constantly: their days are defined by a relentless barrage of incoming messages and back-and-forth digital conversations–a state of constant, anxious chatter in which nobody can disconnect, and so nobody has the cognitive bandwidth to perform substantive work. There was a time when these tools felt cutting edge, but current evidence reveals that the “hyperactive hive mind” workflow they helped create has become a productivity disaster, reducing profitability and perhaps even slowing overall economic growth. Equally worrisome, it makes us miserable. Humans are simply not wired for constant digital communication.

The Private Life of Elder Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Adam Gauntlett and Keris McDonald (2016)

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 21:00:00 +0100

The Private Life of Elder Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Adam Gauntlett and Keris McDonald (2016)

Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky, Adam Gauntlett and Keris McDonald
First Published: January 1, 2016
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

From the wastes of the sea to the shadows of our own cities, we are not alone. But what happens where the human world touches the domain of races ancient and alien? Museum curators, surveyors, police officers, archaeologists, mathematicians; from derelict buildings to country houses to the London Underground, another world is just a breath away, around the corner, watching and waiting for you to step into its power. The Private Life of Elder Things is a collection of new Lovecraftian fiction about confronting, discovering and living alongside the creatures of the Mythos.

Androids and Aliens (Star Runner #3) by B.V. Larson (2022)

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0100

Androids and Aliens (Star Runner #3) by B.V. Larson (2022)

Author: B.V. Larson
First Published: October 4, 2022
Series: Star Runner Book 3
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

It’s time for the humans to strike back! Vile, ant-like aliens have already consumed the colonies of the Faustian Chain. Known as the Skaintz, these creatures destroy all living things and carry them back to their nests to be devoured. Now, they’ve begun to invade the stars of the Conclave.

Void (The Far Reaches #2) by Veronica Roth (2023)

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Void (The Far Reaches #2) by Veronica Roth (2023)

Author: Veronica Roth
First Published: June 27, 2023
Series: The Far Reaches Book 2
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

An intergalactic luxury cruise to a distant port is a world unto itself in this piercing short mystery by #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth. Traveling faster than light, the transport ship Redundancy is cut off from communication as effectively as an ancient ocean liner. The isolation suits crew member Ace Vance just fine—she’s got nowhere else to be. But when a wealthy passenger turns up dead during a routine voyage, Ace will have to connect with the passengers and crew to uncover the truth. Tragedy will strike again—it’s only a matter of time. Veronica Roth’s Void is part of The Far Reaches , a collection of science-fiction stories that stretch the imagination and open the heart. They can be read or listened to in one sitting.

How It Unfolds (The Far Reaches #1) by James S.A. Corey (2023)

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 21:00:00 +0100

How It Unfolds (The Far Reaches #1) by James S.A. Corey (2023)

Author: James S.A. Corey
First Published: June 27, 2023
Series: The Far Reaches Book 1
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

An astronaut’s interstellar mission is a personal journey of a thousand second chances in an exhilarating short story by James S. A. Corey, the New York Times bestselling author of The Expanse series. Roy Court and his crew are taking the trip of a lifetime—several lifetimes in fact—duplicated and dispatched across the galaxies searching for Earthlike planets. Many possibilities for the future. Yet for Roy, no matter how many of him there are, there’s still just one painful, unchangeable past. In what world can a broken relationship be reborn? The universe is so vast, there’s always room for hope.

The Well of Ascension (The Mistborn Saga #2) by Brandon Sanderson (2007)

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 21:00:00 +0100

The Well of Ascension (The Mistborn Saga #2) by Brandon Sanderson (2007)

Author: Brandon Sanderson
First Published: August 21, 2007
Series: The Mistborn Saga Book 2
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler—the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years—has been vanquished. But Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead too, and now the awesome task of building a new world has been left to his young protégé, Vin, the former street urchin who is now the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and to the idealistic young nobleman she loves.

Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King (1999)

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 17:00:00 +0100

Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King (1999)

Author: Stephen King
First Published: September 14, 1999
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Five interconnected, sequential narratives, set in the years from 1960 to 1999. Each story is deeply rooted in the sixties, and each is haunted by the Vietnam War.

Stephen King, whose first novel, Carrie, was published in 1974, the year before the last U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam, is the first hugely popular writer of the TV generation. Images from that war – and the protests against it – had flooded America’s living rooms for a decade. Hearts in Atlantis, King’s newest fiction, is composed of five interconnected, sequential narratives, set in the years from 1960 to 1999. Each story is deeply rooted in the sixties, and each is haunted by the Vietnam War.

The PARA Method by Tiago Forte (2023)

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 17:00:00 +0100

The PARA Method by Tiago Forte (2023)

Author: Tiago Forte
First Published: August 15, 2023
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

This accessible guide expands upon the “well-written, cogent, and useful” (David Allen, author of Getting Things Done ) bestselling Building a Second Brain with actionable advice on how to improve your digital life in just a few minutes.

Living a modern life requires juggling a ton of information. But we were never taught how to manage this information effectively so that we can find what we need when we need it. In The PARA Method , Tiago Forte outlines a simple and intuitive four-step system that will help us sort all the information flooding our brains into four major categories—Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives—allowing us to manage our commitments while achieving our goals and dreams.

Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte (2022)

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte (2022)

Author: Tiago Forte
First Published: June 14, 2022
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

A revolutionary approach to enhancing productivity, creating flow, and vastly increasing your ability to capture, remember, and benefit from the unprecedented amount of information all around us.

A For the first time in history, we have instantaneous access to the world’s knowledge. There has never been a better time to learn, to contribute, and to improve ourselves. Yet, rather than feeling empowered, we are often left feeling overwhelmed by this constant influx of information. The very knowledge that was supposed to set us free has instead led to the paralyzing stress of believing we’ll never know or remember enough.

Chasm City (Revelation Space Book 0.5) by Alastair Reynolds (2001)

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Chasm City (Revelation Space Book 0.5) by Alastair Reynolds (2001)

Author: Alastair Reynolds
First Published: May 1, 2001
Series: Revelation Space Book 0.5
Revelation Space Universe
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

The once-utopian Chasm City – a domed human settlement on an otherwise inhospitable planet – has been overrun by a virus known as the Melding Plague, capable of infecting any body, organic or computerized. Now, with the entire city corrupted – from the people to the very buildings they inhabit – only the most wretched sort of existence remains. For security operative Tanner Mirabel, it is the landscape of nightmares through which he searches for a lowlife postmortal killer. But the stakes are raised when his search brings him face to face with a centuries-old atrocity that history would rather forget.

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates (2021)

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 16:30:00 +0100

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates (2021)

Author: Bill Gates
First Published: February 16, 2021
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, shares what he has learnt in over a decade of studying climate change and investing in innovations to address climate problems. He explains how the world can work to build the tools it needs to get to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions - investing in research, inventing new technologies and deploying them quickly at a large scale. Gates is optimistic that the world can prevent the worst impacts of the climate crisis. This is a visionary and inspiring book by one of the world’s most celebrated public figures.

Fire Fight (Star Runner #2) by B.V. Larson (2021)

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 17:00:00 +0100

Fire Fight (Star Runner #2) by B.V. Larson (2021)

Finished Fire Fight”.

Author: B.V. Larson
First Published: April 27, 2021
Series: Star Runner Book 2
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

The colonies of the Faustian Chain have gone dark. No star freighters have come from the star cluster for decades.

Captain Bill Gorman, a smuggler on the Fringe, is one of the few who know the truth. He’s personally battled the alien invaders who’ve overrun the human colonies of the Chain. He and his crew are faced with a choice: will they fight the invaders, or will they run?

Insomnia by Stephen King (1994)

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 11:00:00 +0100

Insomnia by Stephen King (1994)

Author: Stephen King
First Published: January 1, 1994
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Since his wife died, Ralph Roberts has been having trouble sleeping. Each night he wakes up a bit earlier, until he’s barely sleeping at all. During his late night walks, he observes some strange things going on in Derry, Maine. He sees colored ribbons streaming from people’s heads, two strange little men wandering around town after dark, and more. He begins to suspect that these visions are something more than hallucinations brought on by lack of sleep.

The Tooth Fairy by Graham Joyce (1996)

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 21:00:00 +0100

The Tooth Fairy by Graham Joyce (1996)

Author: Graham Joyce
First Published: January 1, 1996
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

Sam and his friends are like any normal gang of normal young boys—roaming wild around the outskirts of their car-factory town, daring adults to challenge their freedom. Then one day Sam wakes to find the tooth fairy sitting on the edge of his bed—but this is not the benign figure of childhood myth. This is an enigmatic presence that both torments and seduces him, changing his life forever.

Blood Rites (The Dresden Files #6) by Jim Butcher (2004)

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Blood Rites (The Dresden Files #6) by Jim Butcher (2004)

Author: Jim Butcher
First Published: August 1, 2004
Series: The Dresden Files Book 6
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Dresden Files, Chicago’s only professional wizard takes on a case for a vampire and becomes the prime suspect in a series of ghastly murders.

Harry Dresden has had worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Like fleeing a burning building full of enraged demon-monkeys, for instance. Or going toe-to-leaf with a walking plant monster. Still, there’s something more troubling than usual about his newest case. The film’s producer believes he’s the target of a sinister curse—but it’s the women around him who are dying, in increasingly spectacular ways.

Baal by Robert R. McCammon (1978)

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Baal by Robert R. McCammon (1978)

Author: Robert R. McCammon
First Published: August 1, 1978
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

A woman gives birth to a child whose evilness threatens all mankind

Mary Kate is an ordinary woman: a waitress in a diner, stuck in a loveless marriage to an English-major-turned-cabbie. But whoever assaults her in a New York City alley is far from ordinary. As the man’s icy grip burns her skin, she couldn’t grasp the dark fate that awaits her.

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport (2019)

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 16:00:00 +0100

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport (2019)

Author: Cal Newport
First Published: January 1, 2019
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Most of us know that addiction to digital tools is costing us both productivity and peace. But giving them up completely isn’t realistic.

We’re addicted to texting, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter not because we’re stupid or shallow, but because they provide real value in the form of connection, community, affirmation, and information. Instagram is how you see new photos of your school friend’s baby. Texting is how you let your mum know you’re safe in a storm. Twitter is how you hear about breaking news in your industry. But these tools can also disrupt our ability to focus on meaningful work and live fully in the present. Must we choose between one or the other?

Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2021)

Mon, 29 May 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2021)

Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
First Published: November 16, 2021
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

A junior anthropologist on a distant planet must help the locals he has sworn to study to save a planet from an unbeatable foe.

Lynesse is the lowly Fourth Daughter of the queen, and always getting in the way.

But a demon is terrorizing the land, and now she’s an adult (albeit barely) with responsibilities (she tells herself). Although she still gets in the way, she understands that the only way to save her people is to invoke the pact between her family and the Elder sorcerer who has inhabited the local tower for as long as her people have lived here (though none in living memory has approached it).

Jungle World (Undying Mercenaries #19) by B.V. Larson (2023)

Sun, 28 May 2023 16:00:00 +0100

Jungle World (Undying Mercenaries #19) by B.V. Larson (2023)

Author: B.V. Larson
First Published: January 20, 2023
Series: Undying Mercenaries Book 19
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

A new threat arrives from the rim of the galaxy. From the colorless depths of space, unknown invaders strike worlds across the Frontier Zone. Rigel is a thousand lightyears farther from the Core Worlds than Earth, so they suffer the first attacks.

The mood at Central is jubilant. Our greatest rival is falling—now is the time to strike while they’re weak! Legion Varus is deployed to Jungle World, a vital planet deep in Rigellian territory. Our foes, fighting on two fronts, are driven back with ease.

The Final Empire (The Mistborn Saga #1) by Brandon Sanderson (2006)

Mon, 22 May 2023 21:00:00 +0100

The Final Empire (The Mistborn Saga #1) by Brandon Sanderson (2006)

Author: Brandon Sanderson
First Published: July 17, 2006
Series: The Mistborn Saga Book 1
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the “Sliver of Infinity,” reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler’s most hellish prison. Kelsier “snapped” and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.

State of Fear by Michael Crichton (2004)

Sun, 14 May 2023 16:00:00 +0100

State of Fear by Michael Crichton (2004)

Author: Michael Crichton
First Published: December 7, 2004
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

In Paris, a physicist dies after performing a laboratory experiment for a beautiful visitor.

In the jungles of Malaysia, a mysterious buyer purchases deadly cavitation technology, built to his specifications.

In Vancouver, a small research submarine is leased for use in the waters off New Guinea. And in Tokyo, an intelligence agent tries to understand what it all means.

Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan (1977)

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0100

Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan (1977)

Author: Carl Sagan
First Published: April 12, 1977
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Dr Carl Sagan takes us on a great reading adventure, offering his vivid & startling insights into the brains of humans & beasts, the origin of human intelligence, the function of our most haunting legends & their amazing links to recent discoveries.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2001)

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2001)

Author: Yann Martel
First Published: September 11, 2001
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

After the sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a wounded zebra, an orangutan—and a 450-pound royal bengal tiger. The scene is set for one of the most extraordinary and beloved works of fiction in recent years.

Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King (1992)

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 11:00:00 +0100

Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King (1992)

Author: Stephen King
First Published: November 1, 1992
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

For thirty years, folks on Little Tall Island have been waiting to find out just what happened on the eerie dark day Dolores Claiborne’s husband died — the day of the total eclipse. Now, the police want to know what happened yesterday when her rich, bedridden employer died suddenly in her care. With no choice but to talk, Dolores gives her compelling confession … of the strange and terrible links forged by hidden intimacies … of the fierceness of a mother’s love and its dreadful consequences … of the silent rage that can turn a woman’s heart to hate. When Dolores Claiborne is accused of murder, it’s only the beginning of the bad news. For what comes after that is something only Stephen King could imagine … as he rips open the darkest secrets and the most damning sins of men and women in an ingrown. Maine town and takes you on a trip below its straitlaced surface.

Absolution Gap (Revelation Space #3) by Alastair Reynolds (2020)

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 21:00:00 +0100

Absolution Gap (Revelation Space #3) by Alastair Reynolds (2020)

Author: Alastair Reynolds
First Published: April 21, 2020
Series: Revelation Space Book 3
Revelation Space Universe
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

The Inhibitors were designed to eliminate any life form reaching a certain level of intelligence – and they’ve targeted Humanity. War veteran Clavain and a ragtag group of refugees have fled into hiding. Their leadership is faltering, and their situation is growing more desperate. But their little colony has just received an unexpected visitor: an avenging angel with the power to lead mankind to safety – or draw down its darkest enemy.

Star Runner (Star Runner #1) by B.V. Larson (2020)

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 18:30:00 +0100

Star Runner (Star Runner #1) by B.V. Larson (2020)

Author: B.V. Larson
First Published: January 1, 2020
Series: Star Runner Book 1
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

Two centuries after humanity colonized the stars, new dangers emerge. The peaceful inhabitants of the Conclave are threatened by expanding alien powers. Invaders threaten the star cluster, attacking our fringe settlements.

Captain Bill Gorman has mysteriously disappeared. His clone, set aside for a dark day like this, awakens and begins to put together the pieces. What’s gone wrong out on the frontier? Why are our colonies being attacked by aliens while the Conclave worlds dream of better days? And what happened to the original Captain Gorman?

Until the End of Time by Brian Greene (2020)

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 14:30:00 +0100

Until the End of Time by Brian Greene (2020)

Author: Brian Greene
First Published: February 18, 2020
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Brian Greene takes readers on a breathtaking journey from the big bang to the end of time and invites us to ponder meaning in the face of this unimaginable expanse. He shows us how, despite the universe’s tendency toward entropy, remarkable structures form: planets, stars, and galaxies provide islands in a sea of disorder; biochemical mechanisms animate life; neurons, information, and thought give rise to complex consciousness, which in turn creates cultures and their timeless myths and creativity. Through a series of nested stories Greene provides us with a clearer sense of how we came to be, a finer picture of where we are now, and a firmer understanding of where we are headed. Science has proven to be modern society’s greatest source for meaning, and Brian Greene takes us on a grand tour of the universe while always keeping his eye on one central question: What does it all mean?

Prey by Michael Crichton (2002)

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Prey by Michael Crichton (2002)

Author: Michael Crichton
First Published: November 25, 2002
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

Michael Crichton’s Prey is a terrifying page-turner that masterfully combines a heart–pounding thriller with cutting-edge technology.

Deep in the Nevada desert, the Xymos Corporation has built a state-of-the-art fabrication plant, surrounded by miles and miles of nothing but cactus and coyotes. Eight people are trapped. A self-replicating swarm of predatory molecules is rapidly evolving outside the plant. Massed together, the molecules form an intelligent organism that is anything but benign. More powerful by the hour, it has targeted the eight scientists as prey. They must stop the swarm before it is too late…

Gerald's Game by Stephen King (1992)

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Gerald’s Game by Stephen King (1992)

Author: Stephen King
First Published: January 1, 1992
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

A game. A husband-and-wife game. Gerald’s Game.

But this time Jessie didn’t want to play. Lying there, spreadeagled and handcuffed to the bedstead while he’d loomed and drooled over her, she’d felt angry and humiliated.

So she’d kicked out hard. Aimed to hit him where it hurt.

And now he was dead - a coronary - on the floor.

Death Masks (The Dresden Files #5) by Jim Butcher (2003)

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Death Masks (The Dresden Files #5) by Jim Butcher (2003)

Author: Jim Butcher
First Published: August 1, 2003
Series: The Dresden Files Book 5
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But now he’s getting more than he bargained for:

A duel with the Red Court of Vampires’ champion, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards…

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber (1939)

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 18:30:00 +0000

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber (1939)

Author: James Thurber
First Published: January 1, 1939
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

The mild-mannered Mitty escapes his extremely humdrum and ineffectual existence by leaping into a myriad of fantasies - imaginative daydreams that range from piloting a Navy plane to performing as a brilliant surgeon to coolly leaning against the wall of a firing squad, all while escorting his wife on their regular shopping trip to Danbury, Connecticut.

Hell's Reach (Galactic Liberation #6) by David VanDyke and B.V. Larson (2019)

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Hell’s Reach (Galactic Liberation #6) by David VanDyke and B.V. Larson (2019)

Author: David VanDyke and B.V. Larson
First Published: November 4, 2019
Series: Galactic Liberation Book 6
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

The Breakers find a new home among the stars: Utopia. An engineered planet that is vast beyond comprehension with plenty of room to grow. They set up trade routes and work as mercenaries for their supplies… but trouble lurks.

Pirates strike their merchant lanes. Key personnel are captured and enslaved. Straker is called upon to do something, and thus a new conflict is set in motion.

Bear Head (Dogs of War #2) by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2021)

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 20:00:00 +0000

Bear Head (Dogs of War #2) by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2021)

Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
First Published: January 7, 2021
Series: Dogs of War Book 2
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

Mars. The red planet. A new frontier for humanity, a civilization where humans can live in peace, lord and master of all they survey.

But this isn’t Space City from those old science-fiction books. We live in Hell City, built into and from a huge subcontinent-sized crater. There’s a big silk canopy over it, feeding out atmosphere as we generate it, little by little, until we can breathe the air.

Boy's Life by Robert R. McCammon (1991)

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Boy’s Life by Robert R. McCammon (1991)

Author: Robert R. McCammon
First Published: August 1, 1991
Score: 10/10

Goodreads

An Alabama boy’s innocence is shaken by murder and madness in the 1960s South in this novel by the New York Times–bestselling author of Swan Song.

It’s 1964 in idyllic Zephyr, Alabama. People either work for the paper mill up the Tecumseh River, or for the local dairy. It’s a simple life, but it stirs the impressionable imagination of twelve-year-old aspiring writer Cory Mackenson. He’s certain he’s sensed spirits whispering in the churchyard. He’s heard of the weird bootleggers who lurk in the dark outside of town. He’s seen a flood leave Main Street crawling with snakes. Cory thrills to all of it as only a young boy can.

The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver (2012)

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 15:00:00 +0000

The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver (2012)

Author: Nate Silver
First Published: September 27, 2012
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Nate Silver built an innovative system for predicting baseball performance, predicted the 2008 election within a hair’s breadth. He solidified his standing as the nation’s foremost political forecaster with his near perfect prediction of the 2012 election. Silver is the founder and editor in chief of FiveThirtyEight.com.

Drawing on his own groundbreaking work, Silver examines the world of prediction, investigating how we can distinguish a true signal from a universe of noisy data. Most predictions fail, often at great cost to society, because most of us have a poor understanding of probability and uncertainty. Both experts and laypeople mistake more confident predictions for more accurate ones. But overconfidence is often the reason for failure. If our appreciation of uncertainty improves, our predictions can get better too. This is the “prediction paradox”: The more humility we have about our ability to make predictions, the more successful we can be in planning for the future.

The Testaments (The Handmaid's Tale #2) by Margaret Atwood (2019)

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 20:00:00 +0000

The Testaments (The Handmaid’s Tale #2) by Margaret Atwood (2019)

Author: Margaret Atwood
First Published: September 10, 2019
Series: The Handmaid’s Tale Book 2
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

More than fifteen years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, the theocratic regime of the Republic of Gilead maintains its grip on power, but there are signs it is beginning to rot from within. At this crucial moment, the lives of three radically different women converge, with potentially explosive results.

Redemption Ark (Revelation Space #2) by Alastair Reynolds (2002)

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Redemption Ark (Revelation Space #2) by Alastair Reynolds (2002)

Author: Alastair Reynolds
First Published: January 1, 2002
Series: Revelation Space Book 2
Revelation Space Universe
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

This stunning sequel to Revelation Space begins late in the twenty-sixth century. The human race has advanced enough to accidentally trigger alien machines designed to detect intelligent life–and destroy it.

Skeleton Crew by Stephen King (1985)

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 19:40:00 +0000

Skeleton Crew by Stephen King (1985)

Author: Stephen King
First Published: June 21, 1985
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

In a bumper collection of truly chilling tales, we meet Gramma - who only wanted to hug little George, even after she was dead; The Raft - a primeval sea creature with an insatiable appetite; The Monkey - an innocent-looking toy with sinister powers; the unspeakable horror of The Mist. And there is a gruesome host of other stories, each with the distinctive blend of unimaginable terror and realism that typifies King’s writing.