Blog Archives
That Sucked. Now What?
That Sucked. Now What? by Dr. Neeta Bhushan is a journey of resilience, hope, and renewed faith in life. The author reassures her readers that it’s okay to hit rock bottom, as life is no walk in the park, and we all face challenges. She offers warmth in her words, and there is inspiration and passion in her tone. It’s the type of book that will engross readers within the first few pages.
The book centers around the author’s very eventful life, beginning with her childhood, where she grew up in a loving home, the experience of tragic loss, and embarking on a career, marriage, and a path to wellness. It’s a perfectly written book, where every story and experience becomes a valuable lesson shared by the author in a gentle manner. As an individual who endured loss, Dr. Neeta Bhushan is an exceptional storyteller who does an exceptional job of weaving memories and reflections on life with personal experiences.
While the author doesn’t dwell on hypothetical situations, she shares anecdotal experiences and realities. When she discusses tragedy, the author shares helpful tips on how to overcome difficult situations and achieve success and uplifting words to instill renewed confidence in the reader. I found the balance of topics discussed by the author done in a balanced way so as not to lean too heavily on tragic experiences but just enough to guide readers through helpful, practical advice. Dr. Neeta Bhushan’s writing style is excellent.
I found the book resourceful and gained a lot from the author’s lessons and how people can embrace life, despite difficult situations, including tragedy. The author brilliantly shares how you can get yourself out of misery and rise again to a satisfying life. While not all the stories are relatable to everyone, the author has a way of conveying a message that will give readers an understanding where she is coming from and concepts that a wider audience can digest, such as privilege versus entitlement.
That Sucked. Now What? by Dr. Neeta Bhushan is an exceptional read. It’s a fantastic book that gives readers a sense of empowerment over past traumatic experiences and how to overcome these situations with impressive results. I strongly recommend this book.
Pages 288 | ASIN B0B4ZF99PS
Inspiration From a Masterpiece
Inspiration from a Masterpiece: A Work of Art is a thought-provoking book that asks many of the questions a lot of Christians would like answers to but are either too afraid to even think of them or ask them. Questions bordering on the ultimate purpose of ma, and questions on why the righteous suffer or meet with unfortunate circumstances.
Mankind has always grappled with the thought of what their purpose on earth is. For Christians, these questions come in layers wrapped around the question – how does my purpose align with God’s will? If God is all-knowing, why does he let the faithful like Job experience great trials?
This inspirational book written by D.C. Schorno opens a window into the vortex of this reality with this introductory question, “What would be your first reaction to the notion that from the point of conception, you knew exactly what you were created for?” This is then backed by stories and scripture as well as anecdotes from his life experiences. Schorno draws the reader in and and allows them to reflect on how they can live a life free of worries about how they fit into the bigger picture and also why the faithful experience mishaps.
“We cannot and we should not challenge God when we don’t fully understand what comes to pass around us, when circumstances don’t align with our hopes, and dreams, and visions.”
One of the recurring admonishments in the Christian faith is ‘to not question God’. However, there is a clear distinction between questioning God and asking God questions. This book thoughtfully demonstrates how apt it can be to have these questions on existence and purpose and to also seek answers to them.
While expressing the futility of his search for answers, Schorno, in almost a journalistic style details where his search for this grand purpose led him. The anecdotes contained herein are insightful and instructional. Schorno ends with a particularly powerful story and offers hope and comfort to the reader on what to make of one’s purpose.
Pages: 234 | ASIN: B09M84WDPQ
Marathon
Marathon by John Herbert is a story of overcoming the many challenges that life puts you through. Richard Marlborough, The Kid, shows immense talent from a very young age. He runs like nobody else and is focused on winning every competition that he can, proving to everyone all that he’s capable of achieving. The Kid’s talent is the sort of talent that rarely appears, once in every generation, with lots of promise for the future. However, no story is perfect, and he’ll see himself going through darker times and emotions. As an answer to this, he holds onto his anger and uses it for motivation. The only question is, where will this man’s journey lead him to?
The engaging book presents a complete arc of the life of The Kid, showcasing in detail his competitive career and his lifestyle. We get to explore his preparation for each competition, his relationships, and his plans for the future. With each new step, though, complications appear that eventually turn into important lessons that push him closer to finding his purpose. Although the lessons taught can be applied to everyone’s life, they aren’t geared exclusively towards the life of a successful athlete, which makes this book easy to relate to and leaves the reader with a set of inspirational stories that can be used as motivation.
The entire journey of The Kid’s career is documented in detail in this fascinating book, and in every chapter, one can find a new lesson that is taught and applied. The story’s pacing is slower, so it takes some time to get into it. Some emotional turns shape the course of the story, bringing something new and different that has to be dealt with and understood. The successes achieved are great, and inspiration can be found inside every chapter. As a parallel, life is presented as a marathon that has to be run: the trajectory might be difficult, but the end should be worth it.
Marathon by John Herbert is a stirring story presented about the life of a successful, talented athlete, with its ups and downs. It’s realistic in the sense that it collects the varied dimensions of one’s life, and it adds love, hope, determination, and motivation as a necessity to reach the finish line.
Pages: 654 | ISBN : 1466962208
The Soul Seeker Collection
Embolden is a collection of poetry written to help readers understand how the universe communicates with us. Why was this an important collection for you to write?
Embolden is the last book in the Soul-Seeker Collection, which followed my journey of self-discovery. Book 1 was Embody, and it was about connecting within. Book 2 was Embrace, and it was about connecting with the cycles of life. Book 3 is Embolden, and it is about my connection to everything that is and with the universe. It was important for me to write Embolden because I wanted to showcase that we are all connected, that nothing occurs at random, and that we’re all in this game of life together. The more we see that we’re part of something bigger, the less alone we feel. It helps us see that there is a purpose for us.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I divided the book into five sections. The number five is all about change and transformation, and because this was the culmination of my own personal journey of transformation, it was important for me to use that as a theme. The five sections are 1) objects and places, 2) nature, 3) numbers, 4) practices and beliefs, and 5) symbols. These are all themes that I relate to and where I find signs and significance, feeling as if the universe is communicating with me. I hope that through my poems, others will find the same.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
When I write poetry I follow my inspiration. I normally write poems only when I feel called to do so, and it was important for me to transmit some of this through my poetry. I didn’t see the themes until I had completed the collection and this is a way to honor that I was in flow when writing this collection. It really came from my soul, and it makes sense since the universe speaks to us in many ways, but the most important is through our soul.
Will there be a fourth book in the Soul Seeker Collection? If so, can you share what ideas it will cover and when it will be available?
There are only three books in the Soul Seeker Collection, and Embolden was the last one. I am working on a new collection of poems that will be called Journeys. It is about my experiences, perspectives, and lessons as I have traveled, healed, searched for a home, gone through change and transformation, endeavored to find self-love, and so much more. The first book in the collection should, hopefully, be released in 2023.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Book 3 of the hit Sonee Singh Soul Seeker collection.
Sonnets of Love and Joy
Sonnets of Love and Joy by Paul Buchheit shares a collection of poems that reminds us of the beauty of life. The author describes what he sees around him, always maintaining harmony between his words and ideas. The insightful book begins by expressing sublime thoughts about different kinds of love. Then, he focuses on concepts of joy and how they are related to family, friends, nature, and children. Buchheit discusses his feelings based on personal moments and emotions and delves into subjects honestly. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author conjures images that create incredible visuals, whether a storm, sunrise, or other scenes that encourage the imagination.
What I enjoyed about the book was how each poem has an image representing the theme, either a painting or a photograph. I specifically felt that the impressionist paintings expressed Buchheit’s thoughts clearly, and I enjoyed the creative nature of the poems and visuals throughout the book. The versatility of the author’s subjects and the clearly defined chapters make it easy to read and reference. He describes well his environment and intimate, personal moments in an easy-to-read writing style that I found pleasant.
Sonnets of Love and Joy by Paul Buchheit is a beautiful read that will engage readers with vivid imagery and captivating prose. It’s a book of beautiful moments that life gives us, and the author displays how well-versed he is on various topics, including symbolism in literature and mythology. Because of this expressive character, I recommend this book to readers familiar with and interested in poetry.
Pages 68
Embolden
Embolden is a collection of poems by Sonee Singh organized according to specific themes. The first theme of objects and places includes knowledge, lore, magic, and mythology. The objects include concepts (poems such as ‘Energy’) and range from tangible to transient (‘Bubble’ and ‘Egypt’). The second theme of nature revolves around flora, fauna, and the weather (poems: ‘Solstice,’ ‘Seasons,’ ‘Noseeums’). The third theme of numbers highlights the significance of numbers in the poet’s personal life and their significance in numerology and cultures (poems: ‘Eight,’ ‘Twelve,’ ‘108’). The fourth and fifth themes are practices and beliefs, and symbols, respectively: rituals, mythical and spiritual (poems: ‘Mantra’ and ‘Cure’); emblems, signs, and ancient wisdom (poems: ‘Dot,’ ‘Sacred Geometry,’ ‘The Fates’).
Singh weaves little realizations into all of her poems—not grandiose profound ones but small everyday recognitions of a life being lived that instill an awareness of the world around her. The concept of energy in spaces, of how to balance and purify them, is seen in poems such as ‘Agni,’ ‘Smoke,’ and ‘Energy.’ Mindfulness evoked by music is seen in ‘Strings’ (‘less to prove and less to pursue’) and in ‘Dualities’ (‘it’s hard to keep track’)—also subtle comments on today’s overwhelming, consumptive lives. ‘Eight’ plays with form in both word and symbol—‘an infinity turned up,’ or ‘an eight turned horizontal,’ as does ‘108’. The practice of seeking comfort in confiding, almost confessing, to strangers is seen in ‘Sharing,’ and the sound of wholeness (aum) that gently reminds readers that each is a part of a whole in ‘Wisdom Says.’
The quotidian objects and scenes written about are done so thoughtfully and in a comforting manner. The single splashes of color on each page and the line illustrations are appealing in their simplicity. The book can be read aloud to children and adults alike, teaching readers to slow down and observe the world around them and to learn from and be inspired by a blend of nature and cultures.
Embolden is an inspirational collection of poetry that will leave readers with much to think about. This collection has something for everyone as it touches on so many different areas of life. It is the type of work you gain more from with each reading, and you will always gain new insight each time you pick it up.
Pages: 242 | ISBN : 0645450197
The Celeste Experiment
Get ready for a journey of science, religion, spirituality, and emotion. The Celeste Experiment almost feels like an experience rather than a story. Omar Imady takes the reader on a trip across the globe and leaves them wondering about some of the greatest unknowns, much like Michael’s experiment in the book. After losing his wife and his faith, he dedicates his life to a unique project. Hamida finds herself as the test subject, and the reader joins her as she endures each arduous stage. The unpredictability of the storyline and one last shocking twist leave the reader in a state of awe long after finishing the book.
The Celeste Experiment was unlike any book I have ever read. I felt like I was peeling back the layers of the story with every page. Every discovery I made brought another question. Omar Imady keeps the reader in the dark, like Hamida during the experiment. I loved the suspense and the feeling of connecting the dots.
Omar Imady writes in such a beautiful way, and I was captivated from the very first moment. From his descriptions of the lush, lonely English countryside to the flavors and aromas of the rich Indian dishes, his words have the ability to immerse the reader into any setting.
The Celeste Experiment holds many secrets, and I feel as though I would have discovered more if I had a better knowledge of Islam. I enjoyed the way in which Omar Imady made the reader uncover the story for themselves, but I was left with a couple of loose ends when I finished. However, the uncertainty of the story is balanced by the constant calmness of Hamida’s character. She had such a warmth about her, and the reader cannot help but be inspired, regardless of their beliefs.
ASIN : B0BHPP18K7
Running Dreams
Running Dreams by Carlos Servan is a story about determination and following your goals. The author details his life with the Peruvian army and the important choices he makes to dedicate his life to an important role, with physical and mental fitness preparation and a focused mindset. He realizes his dreams when he enters his first year as a cadet at the School of Officers for the Peruvian Investigation Police, entering his first patrol, which changes his life.
This book begins with the author’s childhood, where his dreams center around protecting his country, which would eventually become realized and change the direction of his life in unexpected and sometimes dangerous ways. I appreciated the amount of effort spent on detailing childhood memories, which creates a clear picture of Servan’s personality, family relations, Peruvian background, and ambition.
I found the book to be deeply moving and impactful, as the author details not only his rise to success within his early adulthood but the challenges he faces and his ability to cope. There is sincere openness throughout the book, which gives readers a sense of Servan’s personality and impressive resilience as a hero. This stirring memoir gives readers a sense of inspiration and understanding about the author and his incredible journey.
Running Dreams is a beautifully written story about strength and determination. Carlos Servan has written a fantastic memoir that instills hope and faith in readers through an incredible story that will keep you engaged from the very start.
Pages 278 | ASIN 1639886435
LITERARY TITAN 