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A riveting and sexually charged posthumous novel from the author ofLeaving Las Vegas. “No contemporary novelist has plumbed so deeply into the human heart, and none has paid a steeper price for visiting those depths than John O’Brien. Better shows us what America lost when the author of Leaving Las Vegas took his own life. Unflinching, dark-souled, cry-until-you-laugh authentic . . . each word of this novel burns as true and doomed as a lit match dropped in a shot of whiskey. John O’Brien was a writer who lived and died with every sentence. Better is testament to the miracle of what the man accomplished―and what he might have accomplished had not death seemed like a better alternative. No one who reads this book will walk away unmoved.” ―Jerry Stahl, author of Permanent Midnight and Pain Killers Within the walls of a foreboding mansion situated in the hills overlooking Los Angeles, the suave Double Felix plays host to an array of beautiful women as well as his unlikely sidekick William. The mysterious patriarch grants his live-in guests’ every wish while asking nothing in return. Days begin with William and Double Felix discussing their conquests with the ladies over Morning Vodka, a ritual that is nonetheless edged in homoerotic tension. From there the drinking continues, only to be interrupted by some miscellany―perhaps a rerun of The Love Boat or some casual sex. But the ongoing torpor has been upset by the house’s newest arrival, a stunning young woman named Laurie, with whom both Double Felix and William become hopelessly smitten. Trash-talking Maggie and Zipper, the hooker who flew in on a trick and never left, smolder with envy while Laurie garners more and more attention from the men. As tensions spiral out of control, the house―an almost anthropomorphic entity in itself―ejects some of its denizens while further ensnaring others. Eventually, each faces the same ultimatum: leave or stay. The decision is fraught with consequence. Better delves deep into the psyche of its subjects through an intricate web of cultural icons, loyalty, covert communications, and sex. O’Brien’s characters loom in and out of a surreal world that seems to float high above the rest of us, but is in fact firmly tethered to the human condition. Read more

Introducing Bitzee Hamster Ball: digital friends you can interact with. Hamster Ball digital pets respond to touch and movements with cute sounds and reactions. Each Hamster Ball starts with a baby hero hamster. Feed your Bitzee, pet them, exercise on the hamster wheel and more. Watch your hero grow from baby to teen to Super Bitzee. Explore and roll to discover treats, items and 20 friends to collect with unique themes. Will you collect the Super Bitzee friends? Hamster friends even evolve at the same time as your hero and interact on the screen with them. Customize your hero Bitzee hamster’s outfits, backdrop and pose; snap a picture and scroll through looks. Plus, play 5 mini games. Includes 3 AA batteries. Warning: produces flashes that may trigger epilepsy in sensitised individuals. Kids who enjoy animation, kids’ electronics, surprise toys, animal toys, fidget toys and STEM toys will love Bitzee toys for boys and girls. Even adults will be mesmerized with Bitzee’s screen-free innovative twist on 90s toys & games from their childhood. Bitzee interactive pet toys for kids are must-have birthday gifts or gifts for girls and boys for any occasion. Roll into adventure with Bitzee Hamster Ball.