Hippie is based on the time in which Coelho was travelling the world and living the way of a hippie. Written from a third person perspective, you are introduced to his girlfriend, Karla, and get to know how the flower children have financed their travels, how they got information through the “invisible newspaper“, and some very unexpected situations in which only Coelho can put himself in.

The novel is an unusual cocktail of religion meets backpacking and reading a copy of Arthur Frommer’s “Europe On Five Dollars a Day” in a VW bus.

Coelho’s readers, which read all his books as I have, cannot wait to get their hands on a new story and be taken away on a magnificent unique adventure. However, this book did come across as somewhat of a disappointment for me. I missed the magic which typically surrounds his words, I missed the typical writing style, and I missed the story. The book feels more like a re-narration of what happened years ago and it did not catch me at all.

Typically, there is always some kind of message in his books, this time if there was one, I did not find it. It was hard for me to concentrate on it, because for me there was no clear plot. It felt unsettled and it was not clear to me what the conclusion it is. Nevertheless, I believe that it was important for him to get what was inside his head on paper and I hope that the next book will be a story that will take his reader’s breath away as The Alchemist or The Devil and Miss Prym did.

Hippe is available now from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Have you read Hippie? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

In Hippie, his most autobiographical novel to date, Paulo Coelho takes us back in time to re-live the dream of a generation that longed for peace and dared to challenge the established social order – authoritarian politics, conservative modes of behavior, excessive consumerism, and an unbalanced concentration of wealth and power.

Following the “three days of peace and music” at Woodstock, the 1969 gathering in Bethel, NY that would change the world forever, hippie paradises began to emerge all around the world. In the Dam Square in Amsterdam, long-haired young people wearing vibrant clothes and burning incense could be found meditating, playing music and discussing sexual liberation, the expansion of consciousness and the search for an inner truth. They were a generation refusing to live the robotic and unquestioning life that their parents had known.

At this time, Paulo is a young, skinny Brazilian with a goatee and long, flowing hair who wants to become a writer. He sets off on a journey in search of freedom and a deeper meaning for his life: first, with a girlfriend, on the famous “Death Train to Bolivia,” then on to Peru and later hitchhiking through Chile and Argentina.

His travels take him further, to the famous square in Amsterdam, where Paulo meets Karla, a Dutch woman also in her 20s. She convinces Paulo to join her on a trip to Nepal, aboard the Magic Bus that travels across Europe and Central Asia to Kathmandu. They embark on a journey in the company of fascinating fellow travelers, each of whom has a story to tell, and each of whom will undergo a transformation, changing their priorities and values, along the way. As they travel together, Paulo and Karla explore their own relationship, an awakening on every level that brings each of them to a choice and a decision that sets the course for their lives thereafter.

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There’s also new releases from Lian Moriarty, Khaled Hosseini, and Paulo Coelho. Need a little history of fantasy? The Lost Queen follows Languoreth, the twin sister of the man who inspired the legendary character of Merlin, while The Silence of the Girls focuses on the timeless legend of The Iliad, as experienced by the captured women living in the Greek camp in the final weeks of the Trojan War.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below which ones you are most excited for!

Impostors by Scott Westerfeld
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Scott Westerfeld returns to the world of Uglies in this new series. Frey and Rafi are inseparable . . . but very few people have ever seen them together. This is because Frey is Rafi’s double, raised in the shadow’s of their rich father’s fortress. While Rafi has been taught to charm, Frey has been taught to kill. Frey only exists to protect her sister. There is no other part of her life. Frey has never been out in the world on her own – until her father sends her in Rafi’s place to act as collateral for a dangerous deal. Everyone thinks she’s her sister – but Col, the son of a rival leader, is starting to get close enough to tell the difference. As the stakes grow higher and higher, Frey must decide whether she can trust him – or anyone in her life.

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
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The retreat at health and wellness resort Tranquillum House promises total transformation. Nine stressed city dwellers are keen to drop their literal and mental baggage, and absorb the meditative ambience while enjoying their hot stone massages. Watching over them is the resort’s director, a woman on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies. These nine perfect strangers have no idea what is about to hit them.

Vengeful by VE Schwab
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In the sequel to Vicious, Sydney once had Serena—beloved sister, betrayed enemy, powerful ally. But now she is alone, except for her thrice-dead dog, Dol, and then there’s Victor, who thinks Sydney doesn’t know about his most recent act of vengeance. Victor himself is under the radar these days—being buried and re-animated can strike concern even if one has superhuman powers. But despite his own worries, his anger remains. And Eli Ever still has yet to pay for the evil he has done.

Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini
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A short, powerful, illustrated book written by beloved novelist Khaled Hosseini in response to the current refugee crisis, Sea Prayer is composed in the form of a letter, from a father to his son, on the eve of their journey. Watching over his sleeping son, the father reflects on the dangerous sea-crossing that lies before them. It is also a vivid portrait of their life in Homs, Syria, before the war, and of that city’s swift transformation from a home into a deadly war zone.

The Lost Queen by Signe Pike
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Mists of Avalon meets Philippa Gregory in the first book of an exciting historical trilogy that reveals the untold story of Languoreth—a powerful and, until now, tragically forgotten queen of sixth-century Scotland—twin sister of the man who inspired the legendary character of Merlin.

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
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From the Booker Prize-winning author of the Regeneration trilogy comes a monumental new masterpiece, set in the midst of literature’s most famous war. Pat Barker turns her attention to the timeless legend of The Iliad , as experienced by the captured women living in the Greek camp in the final weeks of the Trojan War.

Escaping From Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco
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In this third instalment in the #1 bestselling Stalking Jack the Ripper series, a luxurious ocean liner becomes a floating prison of scandal, madness, and horror when passengers are murdered one by one…with nowhere to run from the killer. .

Dare You To Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch
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When her FBI agent father is framed for murder, Kylene is forced to move in with her grandfather, back to the small town that turned its back on her, and the boy who betrayed her. All Ky cares about is clearing her father’s name, but someone won’t let her forget the photo scandal that drove her away two years ago. As the threats gain momentum, Ky finds an unlikely ally in the rookie FBI agent sent to keep an eye on her. Determined to expose the town’s hidden skeletons, Ky unwittingly thrusts herself into a much bigger plot. They thought she’d forgive and forget. They’re about to learn they messed with the wrong girl.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White
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Elizabeth Lavenza is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything–except a friend. Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable–and it works. Soon she and Victor are inseparable. But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth’s survival depends on managing Victor’s dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.

In Her Bones by Kate Moretti
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Fifteen years ago, Lilith Wade was arrested for the brutal murder of six women. After a death row conviction, media frenzy, and the release of an unauthorized biography, her thirty-year-old daughter Edie Beckett is just trying to survive out of the spotlight. She’s a recovering alcoholic with a dead-end city job and an unhealthy codependent relationship with her brother. Edie also has a disturbing secret: a growing obsession with the families of Lilith’s victims. She’s desperate to see how they’ve managed—or failed—to move on. While her escalating fixation is a problem, she’s careful to keep her distance. That is, until she crosses a line and a man is found murdered…

Hippie by Paulo Coelho
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In Hippie, his most autobiographical novel to date, Paulo Coelho takes us back in time to re-live the dream of a generation that longed for peace and dared to challenge the established social order – authoritarian politics, conservative modes of behavior, excessive consumerism, and an unbalanced concentration of wealth and power.

The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White
Goodreads | Amazon

From the New York Times bestselling authors of The Forgotten Room comes a captivating historical mystery, infused with romance, that links the lives of three women across a century—two deep in the past, one in the present—to the doomed passenger liner, RMS Lusitania.

Check out our other September book picks on our Goodreads list!

Any other releases you’re excited to read this month? Tell us in the comments below!

The post September Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

How many of us have struggled with our reading challenges? And how many of us have gone through reading slumps that interfere with our reading schedules?

The answer is, we all have! That’s why we’ve made a list of books that will help you get rid of that terrible reading slump, and make you feel like you’re one step ahead of your reading challenge too!

Read on to discover some great short reads to help boost your reading challenge!

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
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You may remember this movie from your childhood, and guess what? There’s a book! The adventures of Jess and Leslie in their magical kingdom by the woods is  quick read with around 130 pages and a lot of nostalgia.

Animal Farm by George Orwell
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Some of us didn’t get the chance to read classics like Animal Farm while we were in school so why not start now? Animal Farm is about a society of mistreated animals and their mission to create a just environment.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
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A mystery novel about eighteen year old Mary Katherine Blackwood, who lives in an estate with her sister and uncle. There were more members of the Blackwood family until a tragedy struck, and only three members survived. The remaining Blackwood’s live in isolation, but Mary senses that danger is approaching.

A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
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A feminist essay that discusses women’s right to an education, financial independence, and many other interesting topics.

The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas
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If you’ve read the Throne of Glass series, this is a collection of five short novellas surrounding the famous Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan’s most feared assassin. Here we sink into the many adventures of Celaena before we came to know her in Throne of Glass. Whether you’ve read the Throne of Glass series or not, this collection is a great place to start as it’s such an intriguing and fun read. Plus you’ll feel accomplished every time you finish a novella, especially since you can even mark each novella on Goodreads. What could feel more satisfying?

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
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I read this book earlier this year and loved it! The story is about a middle-aged man who goes back to his childhood home. Memories seem to return to him, and he remembers the farm-house that was at the end of the road and the peculiar girl who lived there. He hasn’t thought of her in quite some time, but just by sitting there he begins to remember the strange and frightening situations that happened to him as a little boy.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
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A story about a Shepherd boy who longs to travel and search for treasure. Although this book is fictional, it’s more known for teaching the readers about wisdom and following your heart and your dreams.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
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We Were Liars is one of my favourite reads and it focuses on a group of four friends who stay on a private island during the summer. A fun story until devastation strikes and you’re hit with an ending you didn’t expect.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
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The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of fairytales that the Wizarding World grew up with, especially since we’ve all wanted to hear about these tales since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
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Who wouldn’t want to explore the magical world of Narnia? A land that can be found at the very end of a wardrobe full of magic and adventure that you’ll love no matter how old you are.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
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You might have heard about this book from your childhood or from the movie adaptation earlier this year, so I decided to read the book before seeing the movie. When Meg’s father disappears, it’s up to her, Calvin, and Charles Wallace to find out what’s happened to him, and rescue him from whatever is holding him captive. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?

Coraline by Neil Gaiman
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Coraline has just moved to her new home, and she’s decided it’s time to explore when she finds a strange door in her house that seems to lead to another apartment just like hers. However, this one has another mother and father who want Coraline to stay, and she needs to find a way out.

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin
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A twenty-three page book about society that will contribute to your reading challenge and teach you a thing or two about life. All about choices and justice and what we are willing to put up with if it means our happiness will continue.

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare
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If you’re a fan of Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunters series then you’re bound like this one, which is a collection of eleven short stories about Magnus Bane. Through these stories you’ll get to know a little bit more about his life and his various adventures, as well as meet a few beloved characters.

The Boogeyman by Stephen King
Goodreads

A short story written by the king of horror himself. A quick twenty-three page read for those who would like to experience Stephen King’s stories and writing for the first time. The Boogeyman is about a man who is chased by memories of his past, and who remembers the murders of his three children.

Any other short reads you would add? Tell us in the comments below!

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