My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.
Be More Loki: Alternative Thinking From the God of Mischief
by Glenn Dakin
Non-Fiction & Handle Your Business // DK Books
Published: January 4, 2022
“Teaming pithy advice with iconic images and witty quotes from almost a decade of blockbuster Marvel Studios movies, Be More Loki is the perfect gift tongue-in-cheek guide to doing things a little differently for family, friends, and colleagues alike. Shake up the status quo with Loki’s special brand of alternative thinking!”
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So what better way to set the tone for 2022 then some sound advice from the god of mischief. “Why try to fit in when it’s so fun to stand out?” Right? Let’s get this new year party started! Kids…for the first time ever: Try This At Home!
MOVE QUICKLY LOKI NATION MOVE MOVR MOVE pic.twitter.com/0Bm27Y178T
— loki’s pr manager (@616AMORA) October 19, 2021
The Unfamiliar Garden (Comet Cycle Series #2)
by Benjamin Percy
Fiction & Sci-Fi // William Morrow
Published: January 4, 2022
“The night the sky fell, Jack and Nora Abernathy’s daughter vanished in the woods. And Mia’s disappearance broke her parents’ already fragile marriage. Unable to solve her own daughter’s case, Nora lost herself in her work as a homicide detective. Jack became a shell of a man; his promising career as a biologist crumbling alongside the meteor strikes that altered weather patterns and caused a massive drought.”
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The Ninth Metal: the first novel in Benjamin Percy’s Comet Cycle trilogy where a “bright” comet creates a modern gold-rush with ah…X-Files elements (like a kid with “superpowers”) is out now. Part 2 is out today, while Part 3 is expected next year. As for The Unfamiliar Garden: “It isn’t until five years later that the rains finally return to nourish Seattle. In this period of sudden growth, Jack uncovers evidence of a new parasitic fungus, while Nora investigates several brutal, ritualistic murders. Soon they will be drawn together by a horrifying connection between their discoveries—partnering to fight a deadly contagion as well as the government forces that know the truth about the fate of their daughter.”
Just finished @Benjamin_Percy's new novel The Unfamiliar Garden and loved it! If you're a mutual fan of works like The Expanse, Star Trek: Discovery and The Thing you're going to get a lot out of this book. pic.twitter.com/04KLHsvx0c
— Schamberger Labs (@robschamberger) January 5, 2022
Anthem
by Noah Hawley
Fiction & Sci-Fi…ish // Grand Central Publishing
Published: January 4, 2022
An epic literary thriller set where America is right now: Here’s a Book Excerpt.
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“Simon Oliver is trying to recover from his sister’s tragic passing. He breaks out to join a woman named Louise and a man called The Prophet on a quest as urgent as it is enigmatic.” Okay then. Anthem is a new thriller from Noah Hawley, known for TV work on Bones and Fargo.
Coming January 4th, ANTHEM by #FargoFX and #LegionFX showrunner Noah Hawley is an epic literary thriller set where America is right now.
Listen to an excerpt and learn more here:https://t.co/irjQaJBRZG (@HachetteAudio) pic.twitter.com/oKGWaCxfEB
— Grand Central Pub (@GrandCentralPub) December 28, 2021
The 5 Apology Languages: The Secret to Healthy Relationships
by Gary Chapman & Jennifer Thomas
Non-Fiction & Spirituality // Moody Publishers
Published: January 3, 2022
“Even in the best of relationships, we mess up. We say and do things we deeply regret later on. So we need to make things right. But just saying you’re sorry isn’t enough. That’s only the first step on the road to restoration.”
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“I said I was sorry! What more do you want?” typically doesn’t cover it. Your sorry needs to be better. Gary Chapman is known for his previous book The 5 Love Languages so here’s helping you to say sorry now that you’ve found love.
Someone needs to see this.
5 Love Languages and the 5 Apology Languages.
Very important. pic.twitter.com/2mba2mdlcB
— Adewale Fajana (@adewalefajana) June 19, 2021
Hero on a Mission: A Path to a Meaningful Life
by Donald Miller
Non-Fiction & Spirituality // HarperCollins Leadership
Published: January 11, 2022
“In this book, Donald will use his own experiences to help you recognize if the character you are currently surfacing is helping you experience a life of meaning. He breaks down the transformational, yet practical, plan that took him from slowly giving up to rapidly gaining a new perspective of his own life’s beauty and meaning, igniting his motivation, passion, and productivity, so you can do the same.”
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Are you Superman or are you Lex Luthor? Hint: it’s not just about the hair or lack of hair. “There are four characters in every story: The victim, the villain, the hero, and the guide. These four characters live inside us. If we play the victim, we’re doomed to fail. If we play the villain, we will not create genuine bonds. But if we play the hero or guide, our lives will flourish. The hard part is being self-aware enough to know which character we are playing.” So who are you?
How do you experience a meaningful life? Donald Miller's new book #HeroOnAMission explores exactly that.
If you change just a few things in your life, you can become interested in your own story again. And when we’re interested in our story, life itself changes for the better. pic.twitter.com/2BkePp6t1E
— Business Made Simple (@BusMadeSimple) December 7, 2021
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Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.