#BookReview: The Cryptopians: Idealism, Greed, Lies, and the Making of the First Big Cryptocurrency Craze

I am learning about investing and the potential of cryptocurrency thanks to influence from my brother (a crypto miner) and my sister (Mindfully Trading). Here’s a review for a book I discovered that I need to share with the world.

 

My Review
 
I loved reading this book! Being new to cryptocurrency and wanting to learn more, I found a podcast with Laura Shin and decided to order her book. The Cryptopians is a comprehensive introduction to the new history of cryptocurrency, explaining jargon, key people in the industry, and explaining how this all came about as a movement and how it continues to grow.
 
I really think that we all need to read this book if we have children because it will be relevant to them as they grow up, so we might as well learn about cryptocurrency too!
 
About the Book
 
In their short history, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have gone through booms, busts, and internecine wars, recently reaching a market valuation of more than $2 trillion. The central promise of crypto endures-vast fortunes made from decentralized networks not controlled by any single entity and not yet regulated by many governments.
 
The recent growth of crypto would have been all but impossible if not for a brilliant young man named Vitalik Buterin and his creation: Ethereum. In this book, Laura Shin takes readers inside the founding of this novel cryptocurrency network, which enabled users to launch their own new coins, thus creating a new crypto fever. She introduces readers to larger-than-life characters like Buterin, the Web3 wunderkind; his short-lived CEO, Charles Hoskinson; and Joe Lubin, a former Goldman Sachs VP who became one of crypto's most well-known billionaires. Sparks fly as these outsized personalities fight for their piece of a seemingly limitless new business opportunity.
 
This fascinating book shows the crypto market for what it really is: a deeply personal struggle to influence the coming revolution in money, culture, and power. Buy the book here.

Download your FREE copy of It’s Complicated (A Redcliffe Short Story) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

 

Beware the Wolf in ‘My New Master’ Teen Wolf Horror Story

Today I share an excerpt from my second published short story My New Master, featured in the YA anthology The Mirador Fantasmagoria. This gives some back story to our favourite lieutenant werewolf, Simon Bunce from the Redcliffe novels…

 

Excerpt

 

“Ok Marie, tell me about this family. What do you want me to do?” 

She smiled again. 

“Simon you are so young, so innocent! I know about your mother. But I am not like her. I am like Danny.” 

Here she nodded in his direction, and I half turned to look at him. His face was serious, his blue eyes blazing as he spoke. 

“Marie please don’t do this. You cannot destroy this boy’s life. Let him go.” 

He moved towards Marie and suddenly she lunged at him. I shouted her name and tried to block her, but she was stronger than I thought. Marie shoved me so hard I staggered back to the sofa and suddenly she was on top of me again, her hand clamped around my throat as she hissed in my ear. 

“You shouldn’t have done that, Simon.”

            She lifted her face, and I whimpered as I saw her eyes, not human. They were animal eyes. She sniffed my face and nuzzled my neck. I struggled but she was too strong, and she held me firm against the sofa with her body. I heard Detective Mason behind her and sensed him moving cautiously closer. 

“Mistress please let him go. You are frightening him. Your business is with me now; punish me, not him.”

            She laughed and spoke while looking at my face. 

“Oh, Danny you are so vain! I will deal with you afterwards. But first I must bring Simon into our family.” 

Suddenly she struck my neck, tearing at the flesh and biting me. I cried out but the sound was muffled by her hand over my mouth. I felt something clawing at my stomach, heard cloth and flesh tearing, then I felt searing pain as blood poured from my body. Everything went black.

 

 

Download the book now and follow Simon’s adult adventures in  #TheRedcliffeNovels series. He is not finished with me yet, and now he has a new young submissive wolf under his control… delicious!

 

Download your FREE copy of It’s Complicated (A Redcliffe Short Story) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

 

College is a Dangerous Place: Read Teen Vampire Horror ‘The Teen Game’

Today I share an excerpt from my first published short story The Teen Game, featured in the YA anthology Devils, Demons and Werewolves…

 

Excerpt

That afternoon I sat near to the boy I wanted. He was tall and slender with short black hair in a spiked style. I learnt that his name was David Samson and I set about making small talk while we had our first practical art lesson. He was extremely shy and seemed confused as to why I wanted his attention but slowly he began to respond, amid much cajoling from his friends. He was another local born and bred who had come to college straight from the affiliated high school. I was very much the outsider in this place but that didn’t faze me in the slightest. Shelley and I ended our first day with invitations to join a group of boys at the pool club in the nearby cinema complex on Wednesday evening. Naturally the group included my David. Everything was progressing smoothly.

 

 

Read the anthology for free on Amazon Kindle; I have limited copies of the paperback to order if you prefer – contact me directly to arrange.

 

Download your FREE copy of It’s Complicated (A Redcliffe Short Story) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

Just your average Cheshire housewife – who used to hunt vampires!

🖤Return of the Vampire Hunter by Catherine Green - Get the book now.

Classic Vampire Action in Blackpool, England

Contemporary English Gothic Novel Vampire of Blackpool by Catherine Green is available now on digital download or in paperback. Get the book now.

Vampire Hunters in Manchester, England

 Just your average Cheshire housewife – who used to hunt vampires!

 

🖤Return of the Vampire Hunter - Get the book now. 

Alpha Battles in Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel)

 “Jessica,” Danny said, shaking his head, “Jessica, please don’t do this. Send her away. Fight her.”

I laughed, and my voice sounded deep and throaty, ending in a growl.

“I do not want to send her away,” I said, “I want to embrace her power. She is my tiger. We work together.”

“You don’t mean that,” Danny replied, “Remember who I am.”

“You are the alpha male,” I said, “You are worthy of our attention.”

“Jessica,” Danny said, “I do not want to play with your tiger. I want you,” he paused, staring at me with glowing blue eyes, “Jessica, I want you.” He said again.

I hesitated, mulling over his words. Something stirred within me, a memory of another man who looked identical to the alpha. The other man was not a wolf. He was dead. I didn’t want a dead thing. I wanted heat, power, and life. I moved towards the alpha, my body preparing to pounce. My movements were smooth, agile and feline. I loved the way I moved, so graceful and delicate, so strong. I pounced.

💙Excerpt from Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) Book 3 - Get the book now.