For decades, statisticians, social scientists, psychologists, and economists (among them Nobel Prize winners) have spent massive amounts of precious time thinking about whether streaks actually exist. After all, a substantial number of decisions that we make in our everyday lives are quietly rooted in this one question: If something happened before, will it happen again? Is there such a thing as being in the zone? Can someone have a “hot hand”? Or is it simply a case of seeing patterns in randomness? Or, if streaks are possible, where can they be found?

Buddhism is all about training the mind, and boot camp is an ideal training method for this generation’s short attention span. The chapters in this small book can be read in any order, and are simple and easy to understand. Each story, inspirational quote and teaching offers mindfulness-enhancing techniques that anyone can relate to. You don’t need to be a Buddhist to find this book motivational. As the Dalai Lama says, “Don’t try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist; use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are.”

Whether it’s Mother Teresa’s acts of charity, Gandhi’s perseverance, or your aunt Betty’s calm demeanor, it doesn’t matter who inspires you, so long as you’re motivated to be better today than you were yesterday.

Everything She Touched recounts the incredible life of the American sculptor Ruth Asawa.

This is the story of a woman who wielded imagination and hope in the face of intolerance and who transformed everything she touched into art. In this compelling biography, author Marilyn Chase brings Asawa’s story to vivid life. She draws on Asawa’s extensive archives and weaves together many voices—family, friends, teachers, and critics—to offer a complex and fascinating portrait of the artist.

Born in California in 1926, Ruth Asawa grew from a farmer’s daughter to a celebrated sculptor. She survived adolescence in the World War II Japanese-American internment camps and attended the groundbreaking art school at Black Mountain College.

Ruby’s next-door neighbors are delighted to invite a real-life author into their circle. That’s where she’s introduced to 17th century author Verna Langley. With a huge portrait of the dead woman hung in their reading room, it’s obvious Ruby’s neighbors are more than mere fans, and after cracking open one of her books, Ruby soon learns the haunting reason why…

Something lies dormant within Verna’s pages. Something not of this world, waiting centuries to be awakened. Now it calls to Ruby. As her sanity steadily starts to crumble–with her own past demons biting at her heels–she must stop its spread before it consumes everything she holds dear…

When Marilyn Monroe became famous in the 1950s, the world was told that her mother was either dead or simply not a part of her life. However, that was not true. In fact, her mentally ill mother was very much present in Marilyn’s world and the complex family dynamic that unfolded behind the scenes is a story that has never before been told…until now. In this groundbreaking book, Taraborrelli draws complex and sympathetic portraits of the women so influential in the actress’ life, including her mother, her foster mother, and her legal guardian.

He also reveals, for the first time, the shocking scope of Marilyn’s own mental illness, the identity of Marilyn’s father and the half-brother she never knew, and new information about her relationship with the Kennedy’s-Bobby, Jack, and Pat Kennedy Lawford.

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you’re only seventeen?
Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father’s kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran’s queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar’s wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…

They escaped the cartel in Mexico.

Three months after a dangerous and chaotic flight to freedom, Dr. Anton Vasilov and his new wife Lucia have settled into the small-town life of Osprey’s Point. Courtesy of SSI, Anton now runs the town’s sole medical practice. Trained chef Lucia is cooking part-time at Earl’s Diner.

They believe they’ve finally found a safe haven from Lucia’s vicious uncle and his cartel henchmen.

Gaining the town’s trust might take longer.