This book is a tongue-in-cheek look at how two men deal with astrology and the consequences, as they travel through the trials and ordeals, through the astrological dating-scene and into the confines of prison... A great deal of fun and the ridiculous!
This history of the ninja uncovers the truth behind the image—from the exploits of medieval ninjas to their modern incarnation as pop culture icons. The ninja is a legendary figure in Japanese military culture, a fighter widely regarded as the world’s greatest expert in secret warfare. The word alone conjures the image of a masked assassin dressed in black, capable of extraordinary feats of daring; a mercenary who disposes of enemies by sending sharp iron stars spinning towards them. This is, of course, a popular myth, based on exaggerations and Hollywood movies. But the truth, as Stephen Turnbull explains in Ninja, is even more fascinating. A leading expert on samurai culture, Turnbull presents an authoritative study of ninja history based on original Japanese sources, many of which have never been translated before. These include accounts of castle attacks, assassinations and espionage, as well as the last great ninja manual, which reveals the spiritual and religious ideals that were believed to lie behind the ninja’s arts. Turnbull’s critical examination of the ninja phenomenon ranges from undercover operations during the age of Japan’s civil wars to the modern emergence of the superman ninja as a comic book character. The book concludes with a detailed investigation of the ninja in popular culture.
A life not her own—A future already decided. Every facet of Ivy Pierce’s life is meticulously planned out and plotted. Cynical and jaded by sixteen, Ivy’s only hope is to escape the legacy she was born into. She has a plan, a carefully thought out, feasible plan. She just has to play by the rules until everything falls into place. Unfortunately as predictable as her life can be, she never sees Ryder Sutton coming. He tumbles into her life unimpressed and untouched by her and the life she lives. He’s an enigma to her. A gorgeous, frustrating, sincere mystery and a complete phenomenon in the ugly world she lives in. What blooms between them is a fiercely intense attraction that cannot be ignored. Even though they would both be better off without each other—Even if both their lives depend on staying apart.
A girl on a paper round gets more than she bargained for. A couple feels the strain when the money runs out. Life plays out in the call centre, the bingo hall and at the bus stop. Vicki Jarrett's debut collection – reissued here with the bonus story 'Up Dog Down Dog' – is a deftly observed insight into the lives of people just trying to get by. Jarrett, whose first novel, Nothing is Heavy, was shortlisted for Scottish First Book of the Year, is drawn to the absurdity of everyday life. The characters in The Way Out dream of escape from jobs, relationships and disappointments, yet these darker tones are finely balanced by a natural lightness of touch. These stories are at once heart-breaking, tender, devastatingly honest and brimming with black comedy. 'There is heart here... a very impressive collection.' – Rodge Glass, author of Bring Me the Head of Ryan Giggs 'These stories are warm yet chilling, barbed but sensuous, gruesome then tender, funny and wistful. In her accounts of men, women, children and arseholes, Jarrett serves up a platter of dilemmas, desires and disappointments. This is a collection full of style and control.' – Anneliese Mackintsoh, author of Any Other Mouth
The Complete Regional Guide to Craft Beer With quality beer producers popping up all over the nation, you don’t have to travel very far to taste great beer; some of the best stuff is brewing right in your home state. Beer Lover’s New England features breweries, brewpubs, and beer bars geared toward brew enthusiasts looking to seek out the best beers New England has to offer, from bitter seasonal IPAs to rich, dark stouts. Written by a local beer expert, Beer Lover’s New England covers the entire beer experience for the proud, local enthusiast and the traveling visitor alike, including: Brewery and beer profiles with tasting notes and full-color photosMust-visit brewpubs and beer barsTop annual beer festivals, tastings, and eventsClone beer recipes for homebrewersn and hobbyistsFood recipes made with local craft beerBeer-centric city trip itineraries with pub-crawl maps
International entrepreneur Pat Culliney flew high as the wealthy owner of Universe Electronics. Then, teen lovers found Pat drowned in his Jaguar coupe, submerged in a lake at the end of a secluded dirt road in the woods. The medical examiner said suicide, but a receipt for dry ice let attorney Shawn O’Donovan realize that Pat was murdered. Just after impoverished Torch Walsh quit his dead-end job to manage a company Pat left him, Pat’s unscrupulous successor began a vicious attempt to steal Torch’s business using a lawsuit, perjury, false arrest of Torch’s mother, extortion, and murder. Shawn fights overwhelming odds to protect Torch and his mother, threatened at every turn. Themes of inequality, corruption, and Shawn’s struggle with alcohol twist into a fast-paced who-and-how-done-it, concluding at the menacing end of the Dirt Road to Death.
Harry Chen is living life in the fast lane; successful nightclub manager and in love with his gorgeous fiancée. For the popular, charismatic young man who has it all, life is good. As his world turns; booze flowing and tongues loosening, dark secrets, and disturbing truths are revealed. His circumstances dictate that darkness must prevail. In a quick-paced whirlwind of love, hate, betrayal, and revenge, Harry soon discovers that all good things must come to an end.
Meet Bailey Bunster; honker, herb connoisseur and house rabbit. Small in stature but large in ego, Bailey has a way with the ladies and a fine contempt of the 'oldies', the humans he is obliged to live with. This year in Bailey's life follows him through love, loss and the pondering of life's great unanswerable questions; such as 'which herbs make you honk the most?' and 'where do the mysterious pee puddles by the TV stand come from?' Slightly chubby, struggling with a herb addiction and at the mercy of some very demanding females, Bailey still finds humour at every turn and never loses sight of the three most important things in life: Food, Love and Chillaxing.
Beach, Books and Booze! Everyone in the beach town of Turtle Point comes to Ghostwriters, the craziest Bookbar on the Atlantic coast, where the party doesn't end until sunrise as people read their favorite books while sipping their favorite adult beverages. The owner, an effervescent Redhead named Sienna McCaslin, loves two things: her Bookbar and her best friend, Pulitzer Prize winning author, Jasper George, who lost his passion for writing after a personal tragedy. The only thing Jasper writes these days is his name on a bar tab since he lives life at the bottom of a bourbon bottle. Sienna is desperate to bring him back to the living, and her prayers are answered when a young woman comes to town looking for help with her manuscript. However, Sienna's plan backfires when Jasper's mentoring of the aspiring author takes him further away from her, and when the manuscript is finished, Jasper is offered a job at the top literary agency in New York. Sienna knows her love is in vain, so she is the one who leaves Turtle Point first by selling Ghostwriters and starting a new life in wine country. Unfortunately, Jasper realizes he loves her, but is it too late to bring her home before he loses his Redheaded girl and Ghostwriters forever?
This collection of poems contains some very personal verses and some which may have a broader appeal. If you have dogs or cats there should be something in here that raises a memory or a smile, perhaps a tear. The poems are a celebration of the benefits of furry lodgers, and a recognition of the heartaches they can bring.