Thom

This novel didn't really leave a strong impression on me. It can be fairly well summed up as just ‘another Black Library novel' without a huge amount to distinguish it. Perfectly enjoyable, but certainly not a classic of the genre.

The book was released along with the refresh of the Krieg for the game Kill Team, which might help account for its middle-of-the-road nature. I've found many of the direct product tie-in novels to be pretty generic, perhaps there is something about the way these books get commissioned that means the authors are a bit more prone to phoning it in, I don't know.

The basic plot line follows two different timelines. One tells the origin story of the Death Corps of Krieg as they fight a long and bloody war on their home planet against a rebelling planetary governor. In the other timeline, the Krieg come to help an army of Cadians fighting to retake a hive city infested with orks. Both stories are fine, although the first is far more compelling in my opinion. But I kept expecting to find the stories crossing over and wasn't really sure why they didn't. It ends up feeling like two shorter books stuck together. I didn't find the plot brought many surprises either, and none of the characters were especially standout or memorable.

I don't want to sound too negative, as I did enjoy the book. If you like Warhammer 40,000 novels in general - and I love them - then there is plenty to enjoy here: great action sequences, classic 40k over-the-top-ness, and a focus on a fan-favorite regiment of the Imperial Guard. I think, though, there are just better books out there, and if you haven't read them already, for some Imperial Guard action I'd definitely point readers towards the Gaunt's Ghosts series or Honourbound before this book.

An accessible and incredibly inspiring introduction to meta-learning.

Ultralearning sells a big vision: the author claims to have taught himself an entire computer science degree in under a year; several languages and how to draw. He says you can gain incredible levels of skill in almost anything you want as well in only a few months of intense work.

I think that, when you really look at what it takes to achieve these results, it is probably simply impractical for most people who have jobs; families, and so forth. But that doesn't mean - as Young himself says - that you can't take some of these ideas and adapt them to your own situation to learn more effectively.

Learning new skills is not only an incredibly satisfying way to spend time; for most of us, in a rapidly changing world, it is essential. If you are going to learn, you might as well do it in the most efficient and effective way practical for you in your situation. Ultralearning provides you with a toolbox of techniques and approaches to do exactly that. It sets these out accessibly with plenty of inspiring anecdotes from people who've achieved incredible results of their own which help illustrate the techniques being explained.

If you are already well acquainted with the literature on metalearning, I imagine this book probably won't include much you don't already know; but for literally anyone else; I'd definitely recommend this book.

“Thank you,” I said, genuinely sad for her when I thought of all the heartbreak ahead of her— all the phalluses just waiting to be drawn in the dust on the windshield of her future. I wanted to tell her to run. To save herself while she still could. But I had been about the same age when I'd fallen for Steven, and if anyone had told me he'd turn out to be a philandering creep, I never would have believed them.'

It is hard to sum up how much I love this book. For me, this is the perfect comedy novel. There were moments where I didn't want to turn the page because I knew what was about to happen and it was making me cringe too hard (but in the best possible way).

If the setup doesn't swing you, I don't think we can be friends: Finlay is the author of romantic mystery novels and a newly single mother of two young kids, struggling to keep her house afloat and meet her agent's deadlines. At lunch with her agent, in disguise because she's been banned from the establishment for throwing soup on her ex's new girlfriend - she is mistaken for a hit-woman and accidentally hired to kill this woman's husband. Things get worse when she accidentally fulfills the hit! Now, she has a bag of dirty money, and a dead body, and still needs to finish that novel. What's worse, she finds herself in a love triangle with a hot cop Nick, and a trainee lawyer/sexy bartender Julian. Can Finlay finish her novel, stop her husband from taking custody of the kids, work out her feelings, and - ideally, obviously - not go to jail for murder?

This novel is just full of hijinks, Finlay spends most of the book trying desperately to get out of one tight corner only to box herself into an even tighter one. Each time, you can see the car crash coming and you just want to scream at Finlay to stop! It is delicious and hilarious and the romance is enthralling as well. One of my favorite books of the year.

I came across Mark's stuff a while ago, via his podcast, so I had been working out with the method in the book for a while before I read it. It is by far the best regime I've ever tried.

I work out for less time than ever before, I'm making way bigger gains than ever before and it stays around longer if life gets in the way and I have to take a little time off.

I wanted to get the book as it puts all the info in one place and fills out a few of the gaps I had from Mike's other stuff.

I can't speak to anyone who knows there stuff backwards and forwards (although the book is explicitly written for a beginner, so the reviews which slate it for being basic are a missing the point!) However, if you are relatively new to lifting this book is a definite must read.

Brilliant book, and if you like it definitely have a look at Mike's website and podcasts! Also very good!

Can you become more happy? How would you do it? What does that even mean?

From Aristotle to Disney, culture low brow and high has put happiness at the top of the tree when it comes to life's prizes. For many, it is the ur-good, from which all other goods derive their instrumental worth. But often, too, the pursuit of happiness is dismissed as a mere frippery.

Bringing together what psychologists have to say on the subject, Gilbert tackles these big questions through engaging and entertaining prose. The book has plenty of practical techniques and insights that you could apply to try to become happier, but it is by no means your typical self-help nonsense. The author is a properly credentialed scientist and expert in the field, his statements are backed up by studies which are clearly explained and the book takes the time to explain. I have no background in the subject, so I can't speak to the accuracy of his presentation of the science, but I have heard the book praised by a number of different people who know more than I do, so I take that it is at least generally accurate.

A really interesting and easy read. I would definitely recommend this to anyone over pretty much any and all of the self-help shelves in your local bookstore.