Atone by Beth Yarnall

Summary
Beth Yarnall’s sexy and emotional Recovered Innocence series continues as two broken souls discover that keeping their hands off each other is even harder than facing their demons.

Beau: Six years. That’s how long I spent behind bars for a crime I didn’t commit—the murder of the woman I loved. Now I’m free, but life on the outside is a different kind of prison. I don’t know who I am or who I want to be. At least I have my sister, Cora. She never stopped believing in me. She even got me a job at the private investigation agency that cleared my name. And then Vera Swain walks into Nash Security and Investigations and kicks my world on its ass.

Vera: There’s only one thing that would make me come out of hiding after two years on the run: finding my sister. I made the mistake of telling a monster about her, the same monster who beat me and broke me. Now I’m forced to confide in Beau Hollis of Nash Security and Investigations. He looks at me like he knows me—the real me. He sees too much, makes me feel too much. The pleasure he offers is exciting and addictive. But I can’t fall for him . . . because my love could get us both killed.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

Impressions
It was the second volume of a story and I've only learned about it when I was looking for reviewing this book. So you can really read it by itself without trouble. :-)

Honestly, the beginning is a bit heavy and hard. Was not really connecting with Beau until his armor cracks and he lets Vera and the reader in. As for Vera, she is a taugh cookie, who went through hell so her character is a very strong one.

This story is not the typical sunshine love story full of heats, as the author has decided to talk about sexual slavery and how girls can easily be manipulated, but it's an interesting one.
Like the plot and the way Beth Yarnall has written her story. It was great on the emotions maybe a little too close off on the location as the two heros don't really go out.

Interesting novel with some potential.

Street Art Santiago by Lord K2

Summary
Santiago, with its deeply evolved and extremely active underground graffiti scene, bursts at the seams with an abundance of eye-popping, jaw-dropping murals. Stencil graffiti artist Lord K2 documents 14 neighborhoods within the capital of Chile with his arresting photography and intimate conversations with local artists.

Through more than 200 images and 80 interviews, learn how street art was influenced by American, European, and Brazilian graffiti and how its evolution runs parallel to the political history of the nation itself.

During the Cold War, nationalist muralist brigades spread socialist idealism through symbols of power and oppression. Santiago’s repressed lower classes gradually usurped the art form, and murals eventually became a weapon of resistance.

This vibrant city, with its array of distinct cultural districts, now invites you to experience its fascinating and tightly knit artistic community that has flourished since the fall of Pinochet’s dictatorship in 1990.

Impressions
I was discussing Design and Art with a graphic designer from Ecuador recently, who was having the same thoughts that these artists in this awesome book.
Latin America has taken some time to figure out what were their artistic and cultural roots because they were often copying what was done in America.
And when you see the richness of the drawings and paintings represented in this book, it's a very good thing that artists are coming back to their country artistic richness and beauty

I've really enjoyed the quotes that explain the personal vision of street art and graffiti from the different artists. Personally, using art to brighten a neighborhood and children views, it's a great way to express your creativity.

This book told you about Art and especially the varity encountered and expressed in Santiago, Chile.
Really like how it was written and made.
A great one!

About the Author
Lord K2 (David Sharabani) is a London-born photographer and stencil graffiti artist. His works have been featured in galleries in New York, London, and Tel Aviv. He is currently working on a number of projects. For updates: www.lordk2.com.

Source
*Arc provided by Edelweiss
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Eco Living Japan by Deanna MacDonald

Eco Living Japan: Sustainable Ideas for Living Green by Deanna MacDonald

Summary
Japan is equally as well known for its ecologically-sensitive traditional homes as it is for cutting-edge, green technology.

Eco Living Japan presents 19 contemporary Japanese houses which exemplify the most recent trends in sustainable design in Japan. This is wabi-sabi for the 21st century!

With over 250 photos, drawings, plans and lively, informative text, this sustainable architecture book offers a picture of green living in contemporary Japan and provides inspiration and practical ideas for those creating homes in North America and other 4 season climates. Each project presents different aspects of Japan's current movement toward a more sustainable living environment as well as its focus on fine craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology.

The book's content is informative and enjoyable for both professional architects and forward-thinking homeowners. Anyone with an interest in Japanese design and trends in sustainable living will find fresh ideas for their own home projects. These homes work in harmony with their environments and with the people who inhabit them— "green design" at its best!

Impressions

With a rich architectural beautiful past added to a Zen Philosophy, Japan always made me dream with its serene and peaceful houses.

Full of lightness, flexible and open towards the exterior into beautiful garden. I love the minimalistic way of using the surfaces, nothing is waste.



This book tell you about the contradictions of Japan with cities full of buildings but an intense use of recycling too that have raised quickly after 1945 to find housing solutions after the war. Constructions that lose their values after 15 to 20 years, people who doesn’t think that buying an house is a good investment or a lot of japanese apartments left empty. You learn also why the Japanese are used to impermanence because of the many earthquakes.

It’s a great way to see Japan houses and all the possibilities and creative ideas you can imagine to live in a more sustainable way.
Not because it’s a marketing trend but because it’s a good way to stay in touch with yourself, the nature around and stay grounded to was is important.

A really cool book about architecture and Japan but also on worldwide architects who are inspired to build houses in the Japanese styles.

Quotes

« I do not know the meaning of ‘Green Architect’. I have no interest in ‘Green Eco’, and ‘Environmentally Friendly’. I just hate wasting things ».
Shigeru Ban

"This book is one more step forward towards a holistic understanding of Sustainable Design. Not as a simple matter of technology, but as a broad civic responsibility: for ecological and economic improvement, for social integration and cultural adequacy."
—Jana Revedin, professor of Architecture and Design and Founding President of the LOCUS Foundation for Sustainable Urban Development 

About the author
Deanna MacDonald teaches art and architectural history at Temple University's Tokyo campus and writes extensively about Japan's art, architecture and cultural heritage. Her most recent book was New Japan Architecture published by Tuttle.


Source
*Arc provided by Edelweiss
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

The shooting star

The shooting star

Let me tell you the story of a little star, one who appears every night after the sun has departed.

In the vast somber coat of the sky, illuminated by the round face of the smiling moon, she was surrounded my billion versions of herself. All pretty, all shinny. Part of a family, she was happy.

For a long time, playing hide and seek with the planets made her smile. Winking brightly at the loving couples embracing themselves tenderly under her watch made her proud. Listening to the human wishes calling upon her magic for happiness, wealth or health made her sparkle more.

Until the moment where her splendid yellow dress started to pale.  Out of the blue, the color was vanishing and she was having no clue about what was happening.

Night after night, she was sighing. Worrying about her lack of beauty, of purpose. Thinking she was unable to enchant humanity anymore, she felt unworthy.

And for the first time, after spending an eternity in company of the universe, she was feeling lonely.

One night, she confided in the Moon.
“I wish someone will see me, understand me with all my imperfections and still love Me.”
“Careful about what you wish for. You may get it in a different way you expect.”
The star stayed silent with a determinate look on her face.
Seeing her stubbornness, Lady Luna added in a motherly tone, when kissing the little one goodbye: “Just remember, you are already a unique jewel in this night sky. You don’t need anybody attention for this fact to become true. You are who you are.”

Fate was in motion.

Since we all have our own journey and experiences to learn from, advices can be heard but at the end, we are the masters of our own choices.
But even stars have dreams to follow…


Few Lunar circles later, a spaceship landed with lot of noises, bringing some animation into the celestial void. Excitation was vibrating in the night world. Even our little star brighten up at the disruption of her routine.


A human, in a huge suit, was dancing his way on the surface. Making strange signs with pen and paper in his hands. Her curiosity was even more picked when she saw the man looking intensely her way, while sorting out tools and wood from his space home.

Every day under her close watch, he was disturbing her peace. Strangely different, he was nevertheless funny to follow. Patiently without any rush, he was building a huge ladder to reach the sky. For whatever reasons, she didn’t know, but was staring to hope.
Until one night, with a proud look on his face, he deployed the immense engin.

Then, with a rag and a very sweet smelling pot, he climbed in her direction. Among all the bright spots of the constellations, he stopped under her south branch.

Panicked, the little fading star in her pale dress was trying to mask her flaws. Incandescent she was not anymore and at the thought, she wanted to shy away. But where could she hide when he was already invading her space?

Without asking permission, he started to dust her tears away. Whispering sweet words while scrubbing her of insecurities. Her heart escaped through every new rays of light that were shining again. Falling for the fragrance of the polish he was applying on her, she was glowing, night after night, under his care.
She was overjoyed: all her adornments looked bright new and her wishes had come true.

But the little star was so focused on appearances, on her own egotistical thoughts that she has forgotten to listen to the reality whispering around her. She has failed to notice how sparkling all the stars were in their glowing finery.

Since every night, when she was dreaming,  the man was shifting the ladder to dust the rest of the universe. Now, hearing his wonderful work being praised by so many, she felt even more lonely. That’s when a new sigh of understanding echoed from her heart.
He was the polisher of the night, the one who brought faith and hope to the lost lights.

Remembering the Moon warning, the little star took some time to examine her options, her emotions, her dreams. She could feel the chaos inside, the unrequited love.
She had become a falling star.

Even if we cannot attract what we deeply want, we can still cherish what we get.

Taking off to travel the galaxy, she has filled herself with the love she has felt to become a wonderful shooting star. One you can wish upon every time you see her flying in the night. Now, just be sure to choose wisely what you wish for.

Lucie

4/3/2016

A4 Black

Color pencils

Watercolor

Pimp My Rice by Nisha Katona

Summary

Rice recipes to spice up your kitchen! Across continents, rice is the dramatic centrepiece of the table and at the heart of life. In Pimp My Rice, Nisha Katona shares recipes from her home kitchen and around the globe, from Pimped Rice Piri Piri to Beefed-Up Bibimbap and even Black Rice & Coconut Sorbet. Showcasing a rainbow of types and explaining how to cook them perfectly every time, Nisha takes the fear out of the world's greatest cereal killer.

Nisha Katona is a rice evangelist. Why? It does not need peeling, it does not need soaking, it likes to be left to cook without a watchful gaze.

It is eternally long life, waiting long in dark cupboards, bidden to warm musky life when fridges are empty and potatoes are sullenly sprouting. Far from being an understudy, rice is the most virile, muscular weapons of mass construction in the busy working kitchen.

Nisha, who runs two Mowgli Street Food restaurants, is on a mission to demystify rice and to show the enormous breadth of rice recipes that can be created simply and quickly. As a second generation Indian, she shows how to marry different cuisines together, to create vibrant, exciting dishes. In other words, this is a book of pimped-up rice recipes.

Nisha Katona is a rice evangelist, barrister and founder of Mowgli Street Food. She has a worldwide following for her Twitter Curry Clinics and presents a hugely popular YouTube channel.




Impressions
Perfect for the lovers of rice !

Wild, red, brown, black... Sweet for a desert, with meat or recipes for vegetarians... If you are crazy like me about rice, you will find some awesome ideas in this cook book.

I was impressed by the diversity of choice, the combinaison of ingredients and the easyness the author gives us the steps to succeed in making these dishes.

The photos are yummy too!
Almost drooling on the black rice and coconut ice cream!

If you are a fan, you will luuuv it! :-D

Have fun!

Source
*Arc provided by Netgalley
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

One of the Guys by Shiloh Walker

Summary
Complete and utter humiliation—that was what Jaynie felt as she stood in the doorway watching her fiancé playing out his ménage fantasies with his best friend and the cute neighbor from across the street. Bad enough that the cute and sexy neighbor is the woman her fiancé clearly wants her to be, but now she finds the man she loves in bed with the woman. To add fuel to the flame, he later tells her that she couldn’t be a real woman if she tried.

Humiliated and hurt, she’s hiding out at her best friend’s house and ends up coming across her friend’s older brother Brian. Brian…hot, sexy…also her partner from work. The last thing she needs is another complication, but she can’t think about that right now.

The heat in his eyes, the desire she can see on his face—that is something she does need and she offers him one night, no strings.

But one night of no strings turned into something neither of them could have counted on. Brian’s take-charge attitude in the bedroom and his oh, sexy, smile are getting to her.

Friends all their lives, they’ve played together, now they work together. Faced with the most important question of all, Jaynie has to figure out…can they work together?

Impressions
Light, cool and perfect to spend a relaxing moment.

It was well written and the characters were great to follow around. Like Brian and Jaynie story. It was cute, sexy and fun to read.

Maybe not a book with a "wow" factor but a honestly great story, well balanced between the plot and the sex scenes. It is the perfect read to take it easy and decompress after a long day.
Cool one!

Source
*Arc provided by Netgalley
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Good Morning Yoga by Mariam Gates

Good Morning Yoga: A Pose-By-Pose Wake Up Story by Mariam Gates 
Summary
Yoga helps children learn how to focus, relax, and both self-monitor and self-soothe Good Morning Yoga instills these four skills and more, enabling children to jumpstart the day with energy and excitement and meet the adventures that come with mindfulness and perspective.

Good Night Yoga tells the story of the world retiring for the evening and a new generation of readers has fallen in love with the relaxing sequences and beautiful pictures that lead them to dreamland.

Good Morning Yoga weaves gentle exercises with a heartwarming narrative and wonderful illustrations to empower children to manage the energies that visit throughout the day from the fiery volcano to the mountain quiet and still. Good Morning Yoga concludes with a visualization for kids to set intentions for the day. "

Impressions
Like it!

It's a very sweet way to present Yoga to children. Really cute illustrations and I've liked the mindfulness and visualization intentions for the day.

It's a great way to build confidence and to help them to focus. Really cool read if you want to teach the basics to your child.
Nice one!

About the author and illustrator
Mariam Gates holds a master's in education from Harvard University and has more than 20 years' experience working with children. Her renowned Kid Power Yoga™ program combines her love of yoga with teaching to help children access their inner gifts. See kidpoweryoga.com.

Sarah Jane Hinder, illustrator, teaches art and graphic design at Turton Media Arts College in the UK. See smogawoo.com

Source
*Arc provided by Edelweiss
I received this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Alone Together

Alone Together

Music surrounds us seductively

No words just a sexy melody

The promise of a nice soirée

Under my eyelashes, I glance your way

Your desire stares back openly

Aroused by this urgency

My thoughts become blurry

Sorry, have you spoken to me ?

Was caught up in a naughty fantasy 

Where your mouth was already on me.

You approach with a knowing smile, 

How can you always read my mind?

Your lips answers mines hungrily 

Forget the slow, the lovely

Let’s see if our burning reality 

Can surpass my fantasy.