Leverage the power of the Reinforcement Learning techniques to develop self-learning systems using Tensorflow About This Book ? Learn reinforcement learning concepts and their implementation using TensorFlow ? Discover different problem-solving methods for Reinforcement Learning ? Apply reinforcement learning for autonomous driving cars, robobrokers, and more Who This Book Is For If you want to get started with reinforcement learning using TensorFlow in the most practical way, this book will be a useful resource. The book assumes prior knowledge of machine learning and neural network programming concepts, as well as some understanding of the TensorFlow framework. No previous experience with Reinforcement Learning is required. What You Will Learn ? Implement state-of-the-art Reinforcement Learning algorithms from the basics ? Discover various techniques of Reinforcement Learning such as MDP, Q Learning and more ? Learn the applications of Reinforcement Learning in advertisement, image processing, and NLP ? Teach a Reinforcement Learning model to play a game using TensorFlow and the OpenAI gym ? Understand how Reinforcement Learning Applications are used in robotics In Detail Reinforcement Learning (RL), allows you to develop smart, quick and self-learning systems in your business surroundings. It is an effective method to train your learning agents and solve a variety of problems in Artificial Intelligence—from games, self-driving cars and robots to enterprise applications that range from datacenter energy saving (cooling data centers) to smart warehousing solutions. The book covers the major advancements and successes achieved in deep reinforcement learning by synergizing deep neural network architectures with reinforcement learning. The book also introduces readers to the concept of Reinforcement Learning, its advantages and why it’s gaining so much popularity. The book also discusses on MDPs, Monte Carlo tree searches, dynamic programming such as policy and value iteration, temporal difference learning such as Q-learning and SARSA. You will use TensorFlow and OpenAI Gym to build simple neural network models that learn from their own actions. You will also see how reinforcement learning algorithms play a role in games, image processing and NLP. By the end of this book, you will have a firm understanding of what reinforcement learning is and how to put your knowledge to practical use by leveraging the power of TensorFlow and OpenAI Gym. Style and approach An Easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to help you get to grips with real-world applications of Reinforcement Learning with TensorFlow.

Master the art of Shader programming to bring life to your Unity projectsAbout This BookThis book will help you master the technique of physically based shading in Unity 5 to add realism to your game quickly through precise recipesFrom an eminent author, this book offers you the fine technicalities of professional post-processing effects for stunning resultsThis book will help you master Shader programming through easy-to-follow examples to create stunning visual effects that can be used in 3D games and high quality graphics.Who This Book Is ForUnity Effects and Shader Cookbook is written for developers who want to create their first Shaders in Unity 5 or wish to take their game to a whole new level by adding professional post-processing effects. A solid understanding of Unity is required.What You Will LearnUnderstand physically based rendering to fit the aesthetic of your gameEnter the world of post-processing effects to make your game look visually stunningAdd life to your materials, complementing Shader programming with interactive *sDesign efficient Shaders for mobile platforms without sacrificing their realismUse state-of-the-art techniques such as volumetric explosions and fur shadingBuild your knowledge by understanding how Shader models have evolved and how you can create your ownDiscover what goes into the structure of Shaders and why lighting works the way it doesMaster the math and algorithms behind the most used lighting modelsIn DetailSince their introduction to Unity, Shaders have been notoriously difficult to understand and implement in games: complex mathematics have always stood in the way of creating your own Shaders and attaining that level of realism you crave. With Shaders, you can transform your game into a highly polished, refined product with Unity’s post-processing effects.Unity Shaders and Effects Cookbook is the first of its kind to bring you the secrets of creating Shaders for Unity3D—guiding you through the process of understanding vectors, how lighting is constructed with them, and also how textures are used to create complex effects without the heavy math.We’ll start with essential lighting and finishing up by creating stunning screen Effects just like those in high quality 3D and mobile games. You’ll discover techniques including normal mapping, image-based lighting, and how to animate your models inside a Shader. We’ll explore the secrets behind some of the most powerful techniques, such as physically based rendering! With Unity Shaders and Effects Cookbook, what seems like a dark art today will be second nature by tomorrow.Style and approachThe recipes in this book contain step-by-step instructions, complemented by screenshots and code, and real-world examples.

Over 80 hands-on DevOps and ALM-focused recipes for Scrum Teams to enable the Continuous Delivery of high-quality Software... Faster!About This BookRelease high quality, reliable software quickly through building, testing, and deployment automationImprove the predictability, reliability, and availability of TFS in your organization by scheduling administration and maintenance activitiesExtend, customize, and integrate tools with TFS, enabling your teams to manage their application lifecycles effectivelyWho This Book Is ForThis book is aimed at software professionals including Developers, Testers, Architects, Configuration Analysts, and Release Managers who want to understand the capabilities of TFS to deliver better quality software faster.A working setup of TFS 2015 and some familiarity with the concepts of software life cycle management is assumed.What You Will LearnCreating a Team Project with Dashboards, Assigning License, Adding users, and Auditing AccessSetting up a Git repository in an existing TFVC-based Team ProjectSetting up branch policies and conducting Pull requests with code reviewsMapping, assigning and tracking work items shared by multiple teamsSetting up and customizing Backlogs, Kanban board, Sprint Taskboard, and dashboardsCreating a Continuous Integration, Continuous Build, and Release PipelineIntegrating SonarQube with TFBuild to manage Technical DebtTriggering Selenium Web Tests on a Selenium Test Grid using TFBuildUsing Visual Studio Team Services Cloud load testing capability with new Build frameworkExtending and customizing the capabilities of Team Foundation Server using API and Process EditorIn DetailTeam Foundation Server (TFS) allows you to manage code repositories, build processes, test infrastructure, and deploy labs. TFS supports your team, enabling you to connect, collaborate, and deliver on time. Microsoft's approach to Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) provides a flexible and agile environment that adapts to the needs of your team, removes barriers between roles, and streamlines processes.The book introduces you to creating and setting up team projects for scrum teams. You'll explore various source control repositories, branching, and merging activities, along with a demonstration of how to embed quality into every code check-in. Then, you'll discover agile project planning and management tools. Later, emphasis is given to the testing and release management features of TFS which facilitate the automation of the release pipeline in order to create potentially shippable increments.By the end of the book, you'll have learned to extend and customize TFS plugins to incorporate them into other platforms and enable teams to manage the software lifecycle effectively.Style and approachThis book is a recipe-based guide that uses a problem-solution format to call out inefficiencies in the software development lifecycle and then guides you, step-by-step, on how you can use Team Foundation Server to your advantage in those areas.

Test your wireless network’s security and master advanced wireless penetration techniques using Kali LinuxAbout This BookDevelop your skills using attacks such as wireless cracking, Man-in-the-Middle, and Denial of Service (DOS), as well as extracting sensitive information from wireless networksPerform advanced wireless assessment and penetration testsUse Embedded Platforms, Raspberry PI, and Android in wireless penetration testing with Kali LinuxWho This Book Is ForIf you are an intermediate-level wireless security consultant in Kali Linux and want to be the go-to person for Kali Linux wireless security in your organisation, then this is the book for you. Basic understanding of the core Kali Linux concepts is expected.What You Will LearnFingerprint wireless networks with the various tools available in Kali LinuxLearn various techniques to exploit wireless access points using CSRFCrack WPA/WPA2/WPS and crack wireless encryption using Rainbow tables more quicklyPerform man-in-the-middle attack on wireless clientsUnderstand client-side attacks, browser exploits, Java vulnerabilities, and social engineeringDevelop advanced sniffing and PCAP analysis skills to extract sensitive information such as DOC, XLS, and PDF documents from wireless networksUse Raspberry PI and OpenWrt to perform advanced wireless attacksPerform a DOS test using various techniques and toolsIn DetailKali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution designed for digital forensics and penetration testing. It gives access to a large collection of security-related tools for professional security testing - some of the major ones being Nmap, Aircrack-ng, Wireshark, and Metasploit.This book will take you on a journey where you will learn to master advanced tools and techniques to conduct wireless penetration testing with Kali Linux.You will begin by gaining an understanding of setting up and optimizing your penetration testing environment for wireless assessments. Then, the book will take you through a typical assessment from reconnaissance, information gathering, and scanning the network through exploitation and data extraction from your target. You will get to know various ways to compromise the wireless network using browser exploits, vulnerabilities in firmware, web-based attacks, client-side exploits, and many other hacking methods. You will also discover how to crack wireless networks with speed, perform man-in-the-middle and DOS attacks, and use Raspberry Pi and Android to expand your assessment methodology.By the end of this book, you will have mastered using Kali Linux for wireless security assessments and become a more effective penetration tester and consultant.Style and approachThis book uses a step-by-step approach using real-world attack scenarios to help you master the wireless penetration testing techniques.

Design and build scalable web applications using Backbone.jsAbout This BookLevel up your Backbone.js skills and create professional web applications with the best practicesUse the Backbone.js components in the right way and avoid maintenance nightmaresImprove your development workflow from application design to deploymentApply the best practices given in this tutorial to solve day-to-day problems in your applicationsWho This Book Is ForThis book is for those developers who know the basic concepts of Backbone.js and want to build scalable applications with it. If you are looking for the best practices of using Backbone.js applied to real work applications, this book is for you. You will be able to apply architectural principles to create amazing web applications easily.What You Will LearnBuild web applications that scale with Backbone.jsDesign a powerful architecture that eliminates maintenance nightmaresUse common patterns and best practices in Backbone.js web applications developmentsPack your applications to be deployed to production environmentsClean up your code organization to a simple and maintainable architectureTest your components and get confidence with your codeDeal with common scenarios like file uploading and login issuesIn DetailBackbone.js is a popular library to build single page applications used by many start-ups around the world because of its flexibility, robustness and simplicity. It allows you to bring your own tools and libraries to make amazing webapps with your own rules. However, due to its flexibility it is not always easy to create scalable applications with it. By learning the best practices and project organization you will be able to create maintainable and scalable web applications with Backbone.js.With this book you will start right from organizing your Backbone.js application to learn where to put each module and how to wire them. From organizing your code in a logical and physical way, you will go on to delimit view responsibilities and work with complex layouts.Synchronizing models in a two-way binding can be difficult and with sub resources attached it can be even worse. The next chapter will explain strategies for how to deal with these models. The following chapters will help you to manage module dependencies on your projects, explore strategies to upload files to a RESTful API and store information directly in the browser for using it with Backbone.js. After testing your application, you are ready to deploy it to your production environment. The final chapter will cover different flavors of authorization.The Backbone.js library can be difficult to master, but in this book you will get the necessary skill set to create applications with it, and you will be able to use any other library you want in your stack.Style and approachThis book takes a tutorial approach to help you scale your Backbone.js applications. It builds a web application using the best practices and applies architectural design principles to develop maintainable web-apps. Each chapter explains the design decisions and improves the project that is used as an example alongside the book.

Over 70 practical recipes to help you create scalable websites using the Django 1.8 frameworkAbout This BookThis is the latest book on the market that will help you take advantage of the new features added to Django 1.8This book consists of recipes of varying complexities to help you create multilingual, responsive, and scalable websites with DjangoThis updated edition teaches you major Django functions and will help you improve your skills by developing models, forms, views, and templatesWho This Book Is ForThis book is for intermediate-level and professional Django users who need to build projects that are multilingual, functional on devices of different screen sizes, and that scale over a period of time. If you have created websites with Django but you want to sharpen your knowledge and learn some good approaches to different aspects of web development, you should definitely read this book.What You Will LearnGet started with the basic configuration necessary to start any Django projectBuild a database structure out of reusable model mixinsManage forms and views and get to know some useful patterns that are used to create themCreate handy template filters and tags that you can reuse in every projectIntegrate your own functionality into the Django CMSManage hierarchical structures with MPTTImport data from local sources and external web services as well as exporting your data to third partiesImplement a multilingual search with HaystackTest and deploy your project efficientlyIn DetailDjango is a web framework that was designed to strike a balance between rapid web development and high performance. It has the capacity to handle applications with high levels of user traffic and interaction, and can integrate with massive databases on the backend, constantly collecting and processing data in real time.Through this book, you'll discover that collecting data from different sources and providing it to others in different formats isn't as difficult as you thought. It follows a task-based approach to guide you through all the web development processes using the Django framework. We’ll start by setting up the virtual environment for a Django project and configuring it. Then you’ll learn to write reusable pieces of code for your models and find out how to manage database schema changes using South migrations. After that, we’ll take you through working with forms and views to enter and list data. With practical examples on using templates and JavaScript together, you will discover how to create the best user experience. In the final chapters, you'll be introduced to some programming and debugging tricks and finally, you will be shown how to test and deploy the project to a remote dedicated server.By the end of this book, you will have a good understanding of the new features added to Django 1.8 and be an expert at web development processes.Style and approachEvery chapter consists of practical examples and a mix of basic and advanced recipes that will guide you through the entire web development process, starting from project configuration and taking you right through to deployment.

Get to grips with building the foundations of an RPG using Unreal Engine 4About This BookUtilize a mixture of C++, Blueprints, and UMG to create a role playing game (RPG) efficientlyCreate reusable code chunks and elements that can easily be integrated into other gamesA cost effective, step-by-step guide to building and customizing an entire framework for your RPGWho This Book Is ForIf you are new to Unreal Engine and always wanted to * an RPG, you are this book’s target reader. The lessons assume you understand the conventions of RPG games and have some awareness of the basics of using the Unreal editor to build level.What You Will LearnProgram gameplay elements in C++ in UnrealCreate custom game data for entities such as players and enemiesCreate a turn-based combat engineDesign menu systems and blueprint logicCreate an NPC and dialog systemIntegrate equipment and itemsDevelop the foundations of a saving and loading systemIn DetailNow that Unreal Engine 4 has become one of the most cutting edge game engines in the world, developers are looking for the best ways of creating games of any genre in the engine. This book will lay out the foundation of creating a turn-based RPG in Unreal Engine 4.The book starts by walking you through creating a turn-based battle system that can hold commands for party members and enemies. You’ll get your hands dirty by creating NPCs such as shop owners, and important mechanics, that make up every RPG such as a currency system, inventory, dialogue, and character statistics. Although this book specifically focuses on the creation of a turn-based RPG, there are a variety of topics that can be utilized when creating many other types of genres.By the end of the book, you will be able to build upon core RPG framework elements to create your own game experience.Style and approachYou will follow a series of lessons detailing the elements that contribute to an RPG. By the end of the book, you will have considerably leveled up your ability to make your own game

Advance your modern web application development skills with Yii Framework 2About This BookLearn to work with the key aspects of Yii Framework 2Explore how to create RESTful APIs with YiiIncorporate codeception with Yii2 to test your code thoroughlyWho This Book Is ForThis book is for Yii Framework developers who want to quickly master Yii2. This book assumes some familiarity with Yii2, PHP 5, and HTML5.What You Will LearnExplore Yii2’s conventions and learn how to properly configure Yii2Create both web and console applicationsReduce development time by learning to create classes automatically with Gii, Yii2’s automatic code generation toolUse Yii2’s database migration toolManage and access databases with Active Record, DAO, and Query BuilderHandle user authentication and authorization within Yii2Create RESTful APIs with Yii Framework 2Test applications automatically with codeceptionIn DetailThe successor of Yii Framework 1.1, Yii2 is a complete rewrite of Yii Framework, one of the most popular PHP 5 frameworks for making modern web applications. The update embraces the best practices and protocols established with newer versions of PHP, while still maintaining the simple, fast, and extendable behavior found in its predecessor.This book has been written to enhance your skills and knowledge with Yii Framework 2. Starting with configuration and how to initialize new projects, you’ll learn how to configure, manage, and use every aspect of Yii2 from Gii, DAO, Query Builder, Active Record, and migrations, to asset manager. You'll also discover how to automatically test your code using codeception.With this book by your side, you’ll have all the skills you need to quickly create rich modern web and console applications with Yii2.Style and approach This book is a step-by-step guide to mastering every aspect of Yii Framework 2. Each chapter outlines a new set of tools along with code that can be used to efficiently create modern web and console applications

Take your QlikView skills to the next level and master the art of creating visual data analysis for real business needs About This Book Explore how to create your own QlikView data laboratory and how to develop QlikView applications using agile project methods Implement advanced data visualization and analysis for common business requirements from the sales, finance, marketing, inventory, operations, and human resources departments Learn from real-life experience shared in this book that will give you the upper hand in your next QlikView project Who This Book Is For This book is intended for developers who want to go beyond their technical knowledge of QlikView and understand how to create analysis and data visualizations that solve real business needs. You should have a basic understanding of advanced QlikView functions. What You Will Learn Apply advanced QlikView techniques such as set analysis and nested aggregation in order to deliver common business requirements Understand real business requirements for sales, finance, marketing, and human resources departments Discover when to apply more advanced data visualization such as frequency polygons, bullet graphs, and XmR charts Go beyond native QlikView and include geographical analysis, planning, and sentiment analysis in your QlikView application Troubleshoot common errors we discover at the moment we visualize data in QlikView Develop a plan to master Qlik Sense data visualization In Detail Just because you know how to swing a hammer doesn't mean you know how to build a house. Now that you've learned how to use QlikView, it's time to learn how to develop meaningful QlikView applications that deliver what your business users need. You will explore the requirements and the data from several business departments in order to deliver the most amazing analysis and data visualizations. In doing so, you will practice using advanced QlikView functions, chart object property options, and extensions to solve real-world challenges. Style and approach This hands-on guide follows the story of a company implementing QlikView as its enterprise data discovery solution. Each chapter starts with an understanding of the business requirements and the data model, and then helps you create insightful analysis and data visualizations. Each chapter expands on what was done in the previous chapter as we follow this continuously improving iterative process.

Become a QGIS power user and master QGIS data management, visualization, and spatial analysis techniques About This Book Explore and create time-based visualizations and build interactive maps Maximize your use of the QGIS features, plugins and toolbox automation Packed with lots of sample datasets to enable a better understanding of the code Who This Book Is For If you are an intermediate GIS user, with either previous experience in QGIS or any other GIS application, this is the book for you. The recipes can be used to learn more advanced techniques in QGIS or to replicate the functionalities equivalent to other GIS platforms. This book assumes that you already have a working QGIS system in place. What You Will Learn Import and export common tricky spatial data formats Perform classic vector and raster analysis with QGIS Utilize spatial databases and data management tools Use and create geographic web services and maps Explore and create time-based visualizations Perform network building and routing analysis Extend QGIS capabilities with popular plugins and toolbox automation Make beautiful and unique maps with customized cartography In Detail QGIS is a user-friendly, cross-platform desktop geographic information system used to make maps and analyze spatial data. QGIS allows users to understand, question, interpret, and visualize spatial data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps. This book is a collection of simple to advanced techniques that are needed in everyday geospatial work, and shows how to accomplish them with QGIS. You will begin by understanding the different types of data management techniques, as well as how data exploration works. You will then learn how to perform classic vector and raster analysis with QGIS, apart from creating time-based visualizations. Finally, you will learn how to create interactive and visually appealing maps with custom cartography. By the end of this book, you will have all the necessary knowledge to handle spatial data management, exploration, and visualization tasks in QGIS. Style and approach This book covers practical examples, with step-by-step instructions on how to use real world data covering common GIS operations and the different analysis techniques. It provides detailed explanations and applications of QGIS concepts that will allow the user to effectively analyze spatial data.

Jason and Whit Fireson, the notorious, bank-robbing duo known as the Firefly Brothers, wake to find themselves lying on cooling boards in a police morgue. Riddled with bullet wounds, the reality is inescapable: they've been killed. But they're alive. It is August of 1934, in the midst of the Great Depression but in the waning months of the great Crime Wave, during which the newly-created FBI killed such famous outlaws as John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd. Across the nation, men are out of work and families are starving, and Americans are stunned and frightened by the collapse of their country's foundations. The Firesons' lovers Darcy and Veronica struggle between grief and an unyielding belief that Jason and Whit have survived, while their stunned mother and straight-arrow third brother desperately try to support their family and evade police spies. And through it all the Firefly Brothers themselves race to find the women they love, and make sense of a world that has come unmoored. Complete with kidnappings and gangsters, heiresses and speakeasies, The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers combines the stark realism of a troubled time with all the myth-making magic of the American Dream itself. It is an imaginative and breathless story about being hopelessly outgunned – and tells a tale of danger, redemption, and love that transcends death.

Bringing together three favourite novels about Paddington, the beloved, classic bear from Darkest Peru. Book 1 - A Bear Called Paddington: Paddington Bear travels all the way from Darkest Peru and meets the Brown family on Paddington station for the first time. Since then the Browns’ lives have never been quite the same… for ordinary things become quite extraordinary when a bear called Paddington is around. Book 2 - More About Paddington: Whether he is attempting home decorating, detective work or photography, Paddington always causes his own special brand of chaos! Book 3 - Paddington Helps Out Somehow, trouble comes naturally to Paddington. What other bear could catch a fish in his hat, or cause havoc in the Browns’ kitchen just trying to be helpful? Paddington Bear has been delighting adults and children alike with his earnest good intentions and humorous misadventures for over fifty years.

Deadly Seven is a combination of monologues and ‘light’ script engagement of a psychologist with her seven clients, who each represent a deadly sin. Once the psychologist realises she lacks control over each of her clients’ lives, she decides to put an end to their madness. All characters represent an obsession which ultimately destroys them; leading to their deaths.

"Reportajele din aceast? carte vorbesc despre aspecte din istoria recent?, cum ar fi migra?ia, corup?ia, via?a ?n penitenciare sau problemele minorit??ilor, ?nchiderea spitalelor sau stresul care schimb? vie?i, crizele din s?n?tate, pove?ti ale unor oameni obi?nui?i, care fac lucruri speciale. Reg?sim, ?ns?, ?i pove?ti de demult, cum e cazul reportajelor despre lupt?torii anticomuni?ti din mun?i, despre tezaurul de la Pietroasele sau istoriile din satele s?se?ti. Reportajele surprind realit??i dintr-o Rom?nie aflat? ?n continu? schimbare, cu enorme discrepan?e. Sunt ca o fotografie a realit??ii. Cine le cite?te afl? cum se tr?ia sau cum se tr?ie?te ?n anumite locuri. Cum se schimb? sau de ce nu se schimb? lucrurile ?i mentalit??ile. Cartea cuprinde 30 de reportaje publicate ?n revista Dilema veche, dar ?i adapt?ri dup? reportaje sau documentare radio difuzate la Europa FM ?i Radio Rom?nia Actualit??i. Reportajul e un gen mai rar ?nt?lnit ast?zi ?n presa din Rom?nia. Dar asta nu se ?nt?mpl? din cauza lipsei de interes a publicului, ci din pricina lipsei de bani ?i de investi?ii ?ntr-o pres? de calitate. De fiecare dat? c?nd totu?i apar reportaje bine f?cute, se constat? c? publicul le urm?re?te cu interes, tot a?a cum urm?re?te reportajele ?i documentarele oferite de televiziunile str?ine. Asta fiindc? oamenii au nevoie de pove?ti. Un reportaj bine f?cut este de fapt o poveste adev?rat?. P?n? la urm?, ?i aceast? carte este o carte cu pove?ti adev?rate." (Liliana Nicolae)

A classic recipe book which excludes ingredients harmful to those suffering from candida, M.E., and allergy sufferers.

A bewitching comic fantasy by a master of the supernaturalCat doesn't mind living in the shadow of his sister, Gwendolen, the most promising young witch ever seen on Coven Street. But trouble starts brewing the moment the two orphans are summoned to live in Chrestomanci Castle. Frustrated that the witches of the castle refuse to acknowledge her talents, Gwendolen conjures up a scheme that could throw whole worlds out of whack.

Claire and her mother are running out of time, but they don't know it. Not yet. Claire is wrapped up with the difficulties of her bourgeoning adulthood—boys, school, friends, identity; Claire's mother, a single mom, is rushed off her feet both at work and at home. They rarely find themselves in the same room at the same time, and it often seems that the only thing they can count on are notes to each other on the refrigerator door. When home is threatened by a crisis, their relationship experiences a momentous change. Forced to reevaluate the delicate balance between their personal lives and their bond as mother and daughter, Claire and her mother find new love and devotion for one another deeper than anything they had ever imagined. Heartfelt, touching, and unforgettable, Life on the Refrigerator Door is a glimpse into the lives of mothers and daughters everywhere. In this deeply touching novel told through a series of notes written from a loving mother and her devoted fifteen-year-old daughter, debut author Alice Kuipers deftly captures the impenetrable fabric that connects mothers and daughters throughout the world. Moving and rich with emotion, Life on the Refrigerator Door delivers universal lessons about love in a wonderfully simple and poignant narrative.

His father and uncles are enchanters, his mother a powerful sorceress, yet nothing seems magical about Christopher Chant except his dreams. Night after night, he climbs through the formless Place Between and visits marvelous lands he calls the Almost Anywheres. Then Christopher discovers that he can bring real, solid things back from his dreams. Others begin to recognize the extent of his powers, and they issue an order that turns Christopher's life upside down: Go to Chrestomanci Castle to train to be the controller of all the world's magic.The Lives of Christopher Chant is the adventure-filled story of the boyhood of Chretomanci, the famous magician who also appears in Charmed Life, Witch Week, and The Magicians of Caprona.

‘One of the best stories I’ve read in a long time!’ Stacey Rebecca (NetGalley reviewer) The Cotswolds Cookery Club was originally published as a three-part serial. This is the complete story in one package. The Cotswolds Cookery Club is opening its doors! Connie has had enough. Enough of the city, enough of her job – and most importantly, enough of her cheating boyfriend! Finally free to chase her dreams, Connie sets up her very own Cotswolds Cookery Club – a place to share scrumptious recipes and, more importantly, a lot of wine… Trish always dreamed of living in a little chocolate box village – but she never expected to be starting over at forty. Could joining the Cookery Club be the perfect distraction from her stroppy teenage daughter and her ex-husband’s new girlfriend? Kate spends her life juggling her three young children and running the busy Cotswolds veterinary practice. It’s time to take charge of the disparate ingredients of her life and transform them into the perfect pot-au-feu! But with three delicious men turning up the heat, perhaps the sleepy Cotswolds village has a few surprises in store… Fans of Milly Johnson, Caroline Roberts and Jill Mansell will love this heartwarming read!

This treasury of all-new true miracle stories from the bestselling authors of Christmas Miracles, The Magic of Christmas Miracles, and Mothers' Miracles offers the real-life wonder their readers have come to love. Some highlights:A disk jockey's selection of music has an astounding unintended effect a comatose Polish woman begins to softly sing along with a song from her childhood.While body surfing, a man is slammed by a wave and hears his neck snap. Unable to move, he begins to swallow water to hasten death. Instead, he feels himself lifted from the water, gliding safely to shore.A school janitor befriends a student, only to learn that she is the daughter of his long-lost son and his very own granddaughter.A Gift of Miracles, like its predecessors, will remind readers and their families that in the midst of our hectic and sometimes frightening world, magic, mystery, and miracles happen. And that if we look hard enough in the corners of our own lives, we, too, can find miracles.

The novel Seven Signs of the Lion is a magical journey to the city of Lviv in Western Ukraine. Part magical realism, part travelogue, part adventure novel, and part love story, it is a fragmented, hybrid work about a mysterious and mythical place. The hero of the novel Nicholas Bilanchuk is a gatherer of living souls, the unique individuals he meets over the course of his five-month stay in his ancestral homeland. These include the enigmatic Mr. Viktor, who, with one eye that always glimmers, in a dream summons him across the Atlantic Ocean to the city of lions, becoming his spiritual mentor; the genius mathematician Professor Potojbichny (a man of science with a mystical bent and whose name means “man from the other side”); the exquisite beauty Ada, whose name suggests “woman from Hades” in Ukrainian, whose being emanates irresistible sensuality, but who never lets anyone capture her beauty in a picture; the schizophrenic artist Ivan the Ghostseer, who lives in a bohemian hovel of a basement apartment and in an alcohol-induced trance paints the spirits of the city that torment him; and the curly-haired elfin Raya, whose name suggests “paradise” in Ukrainian and who becomes the primary guide and companion for Nicholas on his journey to self-realization. The hero is summoned to the land of his ancestors to find the “seven signs of the lion” in a mysterious quest. The multicultural and unique architectural aspects of the “city of lions” with its medieval old town dating back several centuries is showcased. Part cultural history, the novel deals with the legends and myths surrounding the city and its environs. Anglophone readers will be introduced to a country, a people and a culture that largely remain undiscovered for them.