Many Lives Many Masters by Dr.Brian Weiss

Many Lives Many Masters
Dr.Brian Weiss

224 pages

Published July 15 1988 by Touchstone

From author and psychotherapist Dr. Brian Weiss comes the classic bestseller on the true case of the past-life therapy that changed the lives of both the prominent psychiatrist and young patient involved—now featuring a new afterword by the author.As a traditional psychotherapist, Dr. Brian Weiss was astonished and skeptical when one of his patients began recalling past-life traumas that seemed to hold the key to her recurring nightmares and anxiety attacks. His skepticism was eroded, however, when she began to channel messages from the “space between lives,” which contained remarkable revelations about Dr. Weiss’ family and his dead son. Using past-life therapy, he was able to cure the patient and embark on a new, more meaningful phase of his own career. With more than one million copies in print, Many Lives, Many Masters is one of the breakthrough texts in alternative psychotherapy and remains as provocative and timeless as it was when first published.

Ranganna review and a Craft!

Book Title: Ranganna

Author: Arthi Anand Navaneeth

Illustrator: Kavita Singh Kale

Publisher: Tulika Books

Ranganna the little elephant lives near a dhobi ghat. He is captivated by the brightly coloured nails of his friends and wants to paint his toes too! But whoever heard of an elephant wearing nail polish?! The illustrations, which are a riot of colour and energy, make Ranganna one irresistible picture book. 

Soul Warrior

Book Title: Soul Warrior

Author: Falguni Kothari

Genres: Fiction

Rating: 4

Twisted myths. Discretion advised.
Fight fate, or succumb to destiny?
In the dark Age of Kali, the Soul Warrior alone stands guard over the Human Realm, protecting its denizens from evil-willed asuras or demons. When a trick of fate appoints him guru to a motley crew of godlings, he agrees to train them as demon hunters against his better judgment. Suddenly, Lord Karna is not only battling the usual asuras with sinister agendas, but also rebellious students and a fault-ridden past.
Spanning the cosmic realms of mythic India, here is a tale of a band of supernatural warriors who come together over a singular purpose: the salvation of Karna’s secret child

Review 

Mythology in modern setting. It might look like everyone is writing a Mythological novel these days still can you ever have enough of it? Not if you are a Mythological fan! I started reading Soul warrior and realized in the first few pages, that irrespective of the times I have watched/read Karna's dying moments in Kurukshetra War, I can still feel the emotional overflow thanks to the Author. So, the story begins where Mahabharatha almost ends and a lot later in time.

Little Jessie's Beach Fun and a Craft

Book Title: Little Jessie's Beach Fun

Author: Gowri Nat

Genres: Children (3-8 years)

Rating: 4

Little Jessie s Beach Fun Affable, young Jessie loves nothing more than a day at the beach with her dad taking in the sunshine, sand, trees, birds, sea animals and more. One day, her outing puts her in contact with a new friend with interesting things to teach Jessie. And the friendly girl has a pleasant surprise in store for her new friend. Who could this new pal be? And what special treat does Jessie have in store? Dive into Jessie s world and find out in Little Jessie s Beach Fun. Appropriate for children ages 3 through 8 but written to stretch young readers cognitive and reading skills Little Jessie s Beach Fun is a colorful, exciting and vibrant outdoor adventure that resonates with children curious about the world the natural world beyond the artificial confines of video games, smart phones, televisions and tablet computers. The easy-to-ready, brilliantly illustrated tale not only delivers a light, fun story with lovable characters, but also instills an early appreciation of nature and valuable lessons about love, kindness and cherished core values. "

The House that BJ built

Book Title: The House That BJ built

Author: Anuja Chauhan

Genres: Fiction

Rating: 4

I'll make my sisters squirm like well-salted earthworms. I won't sell. Even my jutti wont sell. And if I die na, then even my gosht won't sell! The late Binodini Thakur had been very clear that she would never agree to sell her hissa in her Bauji's big old house on Hailey Road. And her daughter Bonu, is determined to honor her mothers wishes.

But what to do about her four pushy aunts who are insisting she sell? One is bald and stingy, one is jobless and manless, one needs the money to 'save the nation' and one is stepmother to Bonus childhood crush-brilliant young Bollywood director Samar Vir Singh, who promised BJ upon his deathbed that he would get the house sold, divvy the money equally and end all the bickering within the family.

The first word baby Bonu ever spoke was 'Balls' and indeed, she is ballsy, bullshit-intolerant, brave and beautiful. But is she strong enough to weather emotional blackmail by the spadefull? Not to mention shady builders, wily politicians, spies, lies and the knee-buckling hotness of Samars intense eyes? Sharply observed and pulse-quickeningly romantic, this is Anuja Chauhan writing at her sparkling best!

My last review 'Before I Go To sleep' byS.J.Watson was a group read in Goodreads. But I was little disappointed by the fact there wasn't enough discussion happening in the group. If not anything, it motivated me to read a book that I otherwise might not have picked up. Sometime later, when I saw book discussions on Indian Moms Connect(IMC)(a website I design craft kits for), I jumped at the opportunity of starting a book club afresh, that too with a subset of readers I can really connect with, Indian moms! Unfortunately by the time you read this review, the Book Club came to an abrupt end due to Technical issues. Nevertheless, we read the book 'The House that BJ built' by Anuja Chauhan. Once again, I managed to achieve the goal of picking an Author that I had been putting off for no reason. Better luck to me with BookClubs next time, sigh!

Since it was me who started this BookClub on IMC, I had the task of keeping the group alive and kicking. This led me to finding interesting trivia about the Author and the Book. One such was the term Jump sequel, which simply meant a sequel set in a different point of time. And then there was the Dubsmash with dialogues from the Book which was really funny :)

This book is a jump sequel to Those Pricey Thakur Girls which I haven't read. Few others in the BookClub who had already read this never mentioned much relevance or context. I hope I can safely say, it doesn't matter much whether you have already read the prequel or not.

Review

There are few books that my mind interprets as Bollywood scripts(whether its good or bad, I leave to you to judge ;)). This book is certainly one of them - be it the cinematic opening or hopelessly in love lead characters or the drama with the Tring brothers, you can go on. This book is a tickler, you keep a smile the entire time you are reading it.

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Before I Go to Sleep

Book Title: Before I Go to Sleep

Author: S.J.Watson

Genres: Fiction

Rating: 4

As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I'm still a child, thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me...
Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love--all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story.
Welcome to Christine's life.

Reading a book is one thing, reviewing it is another. But to experience the joy of reading with fellow book lovers takes it to a different level altogether. So, I had been looking around for book clubs that would motivate me to try different Authors and Genres, where I can actively read a book. I found a book club on Goodreads that fit my bill and the book that was voted for was 'Before I Go to Sleep' by S.J.Watson, Though I felt the discussions weren't engaging enough, I am happy I read a book that I otherwise wouldn't have bothered to pick up.  By the time I was midway, there were people who were done with the book and felt the book was unputdownable yet not upto their liking. This raised my curiosity but kept me from having high expectations at the same time.

Review: Dinosaurs Galore

Book Title: Dinosaurs Galore
Author: Giles Andreae & David Wojtowycz
Genres: Kids
Rating: 5
Age group: 2-4 years

Join this swampland adventure and meet silly Diplodocus, larger-than-life Giganotosaurus, and the infamous Tyrannosaurus Rex ... but watch out, he's feeling a little peckish!

Review

I picked up this book randomly from the library. My daughter, 2.5 years old at the time of reading this, is all crazy for the so-called-girlish stuff though it isn't intentional, at least on my part. So I keep buying random stuff that are labeled for boys. This book is one such attempt.What I really like about the book is that the illustrations and text are not intimidating for young ones.  Here is a sample.

Saved In Srilanka

Book Title: Saved In Srilanka
Author: Devika Fernando
Genres: Fiction
Rating: 4

It sure feels that way when Sri Lankan tour guide Sepalika meets Daniel. The mysterious tourist from Ireland steals his way into her heart and makes her question everything her life is built upon. Instant attraction turns to love – but does he feel the same? And what about the secret she’s hiding from him?

Follow the two on their quest for a happy ending amid the beauty and wonders of the tropical island paradise of Sri Lanka.

Review

What do you get when Facts meet Romance? You get Saved in Srilanka! I mean, Sepalika gets saved :) And you get to bask in the romance between Sepalika and Daniel. Sepalika, the tourist guide struggling to contain her free spirits within the confinement demanded by the situation. Daniel, the historic buff on tour to Srilanka. When the two of them come together, they are unable to resist falling in love. Sepalika is 'tied' while Daniel is hurt from a past relationship. Who makes or breaks the relationship is what ensues.

The Mystery of the missing Iguana

Book Title: The Mystery of the missing Iguana
Author: Ruchira Khanna
Genres: Kids
Rating: 4

Alex and his pet chimpanzee Angelo are the young detectives of their neighborhood. When a friend's pet Iguana goes missing, Alex and Angelo immediately take on the case, and the sneaky reptilian leads them on an exciting chase. How will alex and Angelo use their sleuthing skills to solve this mystery?

Review

Meet Alex & his pet chimp, Angelo and watch them in action solving the case of a missing Iguana. What a delightful little story! I absolutely love to introduce new things to my toddler through books and this book made me think, mystery? Why not? Infact, what fun! 

Lemon Girl

Book Title: Lemon Girl

Author: Jyoti Arora

Genres: Fiction

Rating: 4

'It's all your fault.'Mere words these are. "But words can possess a shadow invincible enough to rob even a soul of its eternity."
In a society that finds it easier to mark sins of a victim than the culprit, Nirvi is a young girl punishing herself for the faults she did not do and avenging her hurts by defeating her own truth.She is scared of her future, and ashamed of her past. She is failing herself, and knows it. She has had a long line of boyfriends, and hated them all. She detests the guy she is living with, runs away from the one she loves , and seduces the one who can never love her. When Arsh first sees Nirvi, she's a free and frank girl in whose eyes sparkle the lemony zest of life. The next time he sees her, she is a voiceless doll draped in clothes that cover her body less and shroud her soul more. And Arsh can't rest till he finds out what made Nirvi give up her own real self.Nirvi knows she is dragging herself on a path from which there can be no recovery. Can her spirit survive the treacherous downfall? Or is the pull of fear and push of desperation just too strong to withstand for a girl who believes she has "nowhere else to go" but down.
"When it's time for you to fall in love, even a lemon can become the cause of it," says Arsh.But can love survive, when even the self love dies?Can love survive when respect is no more?Does true love have the power to revive a dying soul?
Find out in the pages of this brilliantly woven, intense, heart-warming and thought-provoking saga of RISING IN LOVE...

Review

Lemon girl - It is not often that we come across a book title with a cute little reasoning behind the name. If I were to flatter the Author, I would say that this title is something I really liked only next to the Magnum Opus 'Ponniyin Selvan'(a Tamil Historic Fiction written in the 1950s. The culprit behind my reservations against giving 5 star to books I like).

13 Steps to Bloody Good Luck

Book Title: 13 Steps to Bloody Good Luck
Author: Ashwin Sanghi
Genres: Non Fiction
Rating: 4

The journey of life isn’t exactly easy… Some people make it through hard work and talent. Some fall by the wayside. And some people are just plain lucky. They are blessed with Bloody Good Luck!
But is it possible to attract good luck? Can we train ourselves to be lucky? Apparently it seems that Dame Luck isn’t that fickle. She is well within our reach. In his first non-fiction foray, bestselling author Ashwin Sanghi explores that critical, much-longed for element called luck.
Through entertaining and informative anecdotes, narrations of personal experiences and vignettes of homespun wisdom, Ashwin gives us a whole new insight into how people can work towards being lucky.

Review

I have been meaning to read Ashwin Sanghi for a long time but never managed to. So, 13 steps to bloody good luck, the author's first attempt at non-fiction is my first read by him. That said, the writing style doesn't pose itself as a subject for review. It is neither impressive nor dull. The concept is agreeable and makes you think. Basically, the author argues that luck isn't a factor that cannot be controlled. He proposes that one can increase their good luck by changing their Attitude and/or approach towards 13 factors. As with any other self help book, I was excited to find out how much I could agree to the contents and to what extent I can benefit from it.

Matches made in Heaven

Book Title: Matches made in Heaven
Author: Sundari Venkatraman
Genres: Fiction
Rating: 3

A collection of 13 romantic short stories based in India; a culture rich country steeped in tradition. Inspiration struck me from newspaper articles, TV shows and hearing people talk. The short stories are based on that fact that arranged marriages thrive right alongside love matches in India.

Review

Matches made in Heaven, a collection of romantic short stories, would make a blissful read when you are on a flight for a vacation or getting a pedicure done or hmm, u get the drift right? Relaxed and joyful and pampered.  The stories are straightforward, the characters unassuming. All the stories have been based on a spark of thought from real life. The transition from one story to next was quick and easy, given that I read a handful of stories at a time. On a similar note, I wish the Author had avoided repeating the same style of describing the character's appearance and their romantic encounters.

Baby Read-Aloud Basics

Book Title: Baby Read Aloud Basics: Fun and Interactive Ways to Help Your Little One Discover the World of Words

Author: Caroline J. Blakemore and Barbara Weston Ramirez

Genres: Non Fiction

Rating: 5

Decades of research have proven the value of reading aloud to children, and the years between birth and age two are arguably the most crucial for language development. As a parent, it's important that you help your baby acquire the foundation they need to speak earlier, read on their own sooner, and benefit from an increased vocabulary and attention span.
Baby Read-Aloud Basics shows you how to establish an effective daily read-aloud routine to take charge of your baby's future understanding and success. Organized around the six stages of early language development from birth to age two, the book provides simple but effective techniques to help you

Review

Books on Pregnancy, Parenting and the non-existent baby manuals - you have read it all. How about a book on how to read to your baby? When is the right time to start reading to your Baby? As soon as your Baby can listen! When does a Baby start listening/observing?  We all, possibly, know the answer from our childhood dose of Abhimanyu's story and what modern-day research tells us. As early as possible! But do you know what kind of books to pick at each stage? And how to read so that your Baby gets the most out of it? Baby Read Aloud Basics:Fun and Interactive Ways to Help Your Little One Discover the World of Words by Caroline J. Blakemore and Barbara Weston Ramirez has the answers.

Breach

Book Title: Breach
Author: Amrita Chowdury
Genres: Fiction
Rating: 3

How secure are your secrets?

Weeks before Acel is ready to file the global patent application for Colare, a wonder drug for pancreatic cancer, the research data stored at its offshore data center in Mumbai goes haywire and Dr. Udai Vir Dhingra, the charismatic, Ivy-educated young leader of its Indian business, gets blamed.

The trail leads to Raghu Damodaran, a precocious teen exploring the very edges of what can be done in cyber space, and then gets lost.

Battling market pressures, media leaks, livid American bosses and crumbling relationships, Vir must find the real perpetrators or see his career - and his life - spiral downwards. Swept into a shadowy world of masked online identities and muddied digital footprints, Vir discovers that nothing is easy or obvious, and everything has a price.
Set in Mumbai, Washington DC and Suzhou, in an online-meets-offline adventure of cyber threats and IP espionage, drug research and medical ethics, strained affairs and lost love, disillusionment and hopelessness, Breach is a clever, fast-paced thriller full of surprises.

Review

I did read that blurb before starting to read the book but I imagined it would just have a hint of technical stuff. Now, having read the book , am surprised at how much research and understanding should have gone behind it. Its a well-researched and well-executed cyber thriller with a refreshing plot. With a long-forgotten software engineer background, I kept wondering how much of this will a 'layman' reader understand but from the other reviews on goodreads, I believe the Author has passed with flying colours on that aspect. 

Canvas of Dreams

Book Title: Canvas of Dreams

Author: Jaya Siva Murty

Genres: Fiction

Rating: 3

Riya seems to have lost everything—the man she loves to another woman, her husband to death and her soul to fear.
An unexpected meeting with her first love, Ryan, stirs up long repressed feelings but also allows her to move out of the long shadow of the past. Unburdened, she feels free to pursue her dream of opening an art gallery and the handsome and intriguing artist Rehaan. But memories of her marriage refuse to fade away and then suddenly, Ryan shows up in her life again. Now, Riya must find the courage to reconcile her past and present.
For Riya, life is a canvas of dreams. Can she distinguish between reality and fantasy?

Review

Canvas of Dreams is the story of Riya and the men in her life. Who stays, who stirs her up, what happens to her passion for Art unfolds with a lucid narration. For a debutant Author, the overall quality is commendable.The idea of using dreams to bring out the latent thoughts of Riya is interesting. I loved that the story was painted on the canvas of Art. I enjoyed understanding the kind of work a Curator does. 
On the flip side, Ryan's side of story remained hazy till the end. At the end, I particularly wondered about the point of view of Sia's daughter(I don't want to elaborate and be a spoiler). Though I liked this book, I reserved myself from giving an extra star because the book is not a racy or page-turner kind. I liked this book in the sense that the things that would have gone wrong didn't go wrong like flaws in the plot, unanswered questions, inconsistent characters or predictable flow of events.  Still, there are times when that is all you need. A breezy story and a cup of coffee. And Canvas of Dreams fits the bill.

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She Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Book Title: She Loves Me, He Loves Me Not
Author: Zeenat Mahal
Genres: Fiction
Rating: 4

Zoella has been in love with Fardeen Malik, her best friend’s gorgeous older brother, since she was ten, but he’s always seen her as a ‘good girl’—not his type—and he can barely remember her name. Besides, he’s engaged to a gorgeous leggy socialite, someone from the same rarefied social strata as the imposing Malik family. In short, Zoella has no chance with him.

Until a brutal accident leaves Fardeen scarred and disfigured, that is. Suddenly bereft of a fiancée, Fardeen is bitterly caustic, a shell of the man he used to be, a beast that has broken out of the fairy tale world he once lived in. And a twist of fate lands him his very own beauty—Zoella.
This man, however, is a far cry from the Fardeen of her dreams. Stripped of her illusions, Zoella creates her own twist in the fairy tale, beating him at his own game.
Zeenat Mahal explores themes of love, longing and arranged marriages in this modern, unusual interpretation of the old-age fairy tale

Review

Though Romance isn't a genre I would normally pick, this book has questioned my notions(had there been any). I might not yet be ready for a book oozing with love but a big nod to a fairy tale with a generous topping of Romance. 'She loves me, He loves me not' might be a modern interpretation of a Fairy tale, yet Zoella and Fardeen aren't fantastical beings. They are true to life characters saying and doing things impulsively. Zeenat Mahal takes us on an emotional roller coaster ride with Zoella making us dream, stumble, hope, fret and despair. Along the way, the perspective shifts from Zoella's to Fardeen's. I liked the way how smoothly I changed positions and started empathizing with Fardeen hoping Zoella will forgive his words and deeds. The dialogues were witty and enjoyable, with a hint of humour. The Romance was subtle and alluring.

The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer

Book Title: The Many lives of Ruby Iyer
Author: Laxmi Hariharan
Genres: Fiction
Rating: 3

A YA action-thriller, with strong dystopian undertones and a kickass protagonist, taking you on a white knuckle ride through a disintegrating Bombay City.
When her best friend is kidnapped, Ruby will stop at nothing to rescue him.

Criminals run the streets of Bombay. Jam-packed with the worst degenerates. The city is a shell of the pride and joy it used to be.

Ruby knows something must be done, but it isn’t until her best friend is kidnapped by the despotic Dr. Braganza that she knows that she and she alone must save city, save her best friend, save the world from total destruction.

Armed only with with Vikram, a cop-turned-rogue they are about to embark on a road they may never return from.

If you’re looking for fast-paced books like Hunger Games or dystopia fiction like Angelfall, the Ruby Iyer series is perfect for you.

Review

The many lives of Ruby Iyer is a Young Adult thriller about a headstrong teenager desperate to rescue her friend thus uncovering the plot behind a falling city. She gets groped, pushed to death, transformed, manipulated and drawn into circumstances. Readinf through the first few chapers, the more she wanted to stay strong just for the heck of it and the more she tried to suppress her physical and emotional weariness, there was one thing I wanted to do. Give her a tight slap! Annoyingly, she is the protagonist and am right there, inside her head. I had to contain myself and get used to her. But as I completed the book and put it aside, it occurred to me that the way I felt about Ruby was indeed the Author's brilliance! I mean, to think of it, a girl on the cusp of teenage and adulthood from a dysfunctional family, fending for herself in a melting pot called Bombay, how else would you expect her to react?! 

Where is the cake?

Where is the Cake?

T.T.Khing

I have never reviewed a baby book on this blog. But this book takes the cake.:) Where is the Cake? is a picture book with NO words and that's exactly what makes it interesting. This book follows the stolen cake of Mr.&Mrs.Dog and their chase behind the mouse thieves to get back their cake. As the chase continues, there are many other characters each with their own little story throughout the book. Like the baby bunny, mischievous monkeys and more.

Ganges Boy

Ganges Boy by Archana Prasanna

Nice things first - The story telling is neat. Archana is really good at convincing the reader with exactly the right amount of details. Like, I never had any bothering questions in my mind about Kabir's parents or about the reason behind Sanskruti's death(which is revealed later) or about Kabir parting with Arundhati.Certain portions like when Kabir is orphaned melts my heart. This book is not a page turner but I feel the urge to get back to the book especially after the grandfather enters the scene.

Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back

Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I don't know why I picked this book in the first place. I mean am not a christian and I generally don't tend to pick books on religious faith. But I did because it appeared on someone else's to-read shelf and the book had less than 200 pages and the synopsis sounded interesting. I was curious to know what it was all about.

I don't want to question someone's faith by the name of a review. Other than that, the part where Colton was fighting for his life was really touching and I could feel the pain of the parents. And yes, I really got interested how Akiane and Colton claimed Jesus would look like and went ahead and googled Akiane's painting. That's a really heart-tugging painting.

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