Illusion of Time by Omar Hamoud; Strange Beautiful Philosophical Literary Fiction Novel

 Illusion of Time by Omar Hamoud; Strange Beautiful Philosophical Literary Fiction Novel 

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: Illusion of Time by Omar Hamoud is a beautiful transformative philosophical novel that touches on various subjects like time, memory, death, fatalism, destiny, spirituality, and whether we are truly in charge of our lives or a part of someone else's design.

The book covers two lives who are connected on the same day in 1967. As restaurateur William Van Dyck dies of natural causes in Charlotte, North Carolina, Andrian Davis is born in New York City. Throughout the book, we are treated to the lives of both men and they seem to be linked. It's never stated why specifically but they seem to share minds, souls, memories, and experiences.

My copy of the book has no transition between William and Andrian's stories. No long white space, no separation of paragraphs, no subheads. Nothing that separates one story from another. Just jumps from Andrian to William and back again.

Now that could be a mistake in formatting or just found in the Advanced Review Copy but it could be intentional. It might be a way of forcing the reader to pay attention to the transitions through time and William and Andrian’s individual accounts. It tells us that even though they have different experiences and separate beliefs and perspectives, they are essentially the same soul living the same story. Each man is just taking half of it.

This is a book that captures both the real and the abstract. Ordinary lives intersect with esoteric discussions about what connections might mean in the deuteragonist’s lives, what their lives mean, or what anyone's life means for that matter.

Mostly these facets are found in William and Andrian who represent the split between the physical and the metaphysical, the material and the spirit, the body and the mind, what we can see and experience with our five senses, and what we think and believe with our extra senses. William represents one side and Andrian represents the other.

William’s life from his birth in 1893 Belgium to his death is one of poverty, abandonment, and desperate financial need.His mother abandoned him and his father lost himself to alcohol and self pity. 

William was raised with a brother who resorted to theft to earn a living and a sister who was the closest thing to a mother figure that he ever had. This exposure to loss and poverty propelled him to pursue financial earthly gain at any cost.

Andrian was also shaped by his upbringing but to follow a different path. His parents were baffled by his genius intellect, vivid dreams, and questions about Biblical characters and teachings that challenged their Christian faith. He isn't isolated by circumstances around him but more by people who don't know what to do with this brilliant but baffling child. 

His primary source of encouragement is from his uncle who follows the boy's education and career development for his own personal avaricious interests. This exposure to intellectual curiosity and human weakness propels him to pursue scientific knowledge and clear answers at any cost.

Their chosen professional lives are also indicative of their life paths. William's work in farming, meat preparation, and the restaurant business are about keeping people fed, providing sustenance, and attending to people's basic needs. It's the type of professional life for someone whose focus is on the things of the physical world that can be seen, heard, smelled, touched, and tasted.

 Andrian's work in physics and psychology are about studying the deep philosophical questions, providing knowledge and wisdom through learning and research, finding out why people live the lives that they did, what dreams they had, and what messaged the higher consciousness is sending. It's the type of professional life for someone whose focus is on the mental and spiritual worlds that can be learned, studied, experienced, thought, and believed.

Both men have circles of friends, lovers, siblings, and others who are drawn by their character. William’s wife and friends are drawn to his strength, determination, and earthiness. Andrian's friends and wife are drawn by his acceptance and intuitive intelligence. 

If they ever met, William would probably see a stuffy egghead that he wouldn't understand half the things that he was saying but would appreciate his understanding and the long interesting talks they would have. Andrian would probably see a blunt instrument who operates on emotion but would be touched by his devotion to those around him.

They don't meet in life or death nor do they know about each other but their lives connect in various ways. They share similar problems like conflicts with an older sibling and betrayal from an older mentor or parental figure. They marry similar women who are supportive but aren't afraid to disagree with or call them out. Deaths of loved ones cause them to spiral into Depression for a time. 

They also share much deeper connections that aren't shared in the mortal world but through the metaphysical. Andrian has dreams of various moments in William's life that could be past life regression or evidence of reincarnation. However, what muddies this interpretation is that William has flash forward dreams and thoughts of Andrian! 

Even though William was mostly a practical man of the physical world, higher curious thoughts entered his head. As Andrian experienced many similar earthly experiences of family, friends, and work William experienced some of Andrian's intellectual curiosity and academic research. His dreams of Andrian confuse him and he questions his life path and higher consciousness. 

Since William lacks the education and scholastic research, they are mostly stagnant thoughts pushed aside for reality. Towards the end of his life, William wonders if someone will have the answers. Little did he know but might have imagined that someone would be born on his death day.

There is an interesting theory that Andrian poses towards the end about what this connection means. In the book's universe anyway, it seems to be the right one but up to a point which sends the book spiraling to another direction. It pushes the book’s themes of interconnectivity and the split between mind and body to a higher level. 

Most of the book suggests that we are made by memories, dreams, time, social circles, choices, education, and experiences. This theory suggests that our paths are not made by us but by a greater design and higher power. It is disconcerting for this theme to be thrown in the last couple of chapters without time to dwell on it further into the novel. Though it is suggested that's why William and Andrian's lives are so parallel in some ways and so divided in others.

However, it is left open ended whether this theory is correct even within the narrative. Like many great philosophical novels, Illusion of Time invites the readers to inquire, discover their own views, provide their own answers, and ask questions about their own lives. We ask who made us the people that we are, some outside force or ourselves? 

Nonfiction Short Review Extravaganza #4: Herbal Remedies, Spirituality, Health and Cookbook

 Nonfiction Short Review Extravaganza #4: Herbal Remedies, Spirituality, Health and Cookbook 

Dr. Sebi Bible Ancient Wisdom and Holistic Pharmacist by Kai Omari

For Rick Sterling 

Dr. Sebi Bible’s Ancient Wisdom and Holistic Pharmacist is an insightful and educational guide towards holistic practices that are meant to give physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. 

The volume is six books in one. The first two books are introductory defining what holistic healing is particularly Alkaline diets. Book 1 discusses what natural healing actually is and why it serves as a contrast to conventional healing practices such as pharmaceuticals. For example, natural remedies address and manage the root symptoms, not the causes. They also allow them to be filtered out naturally instead of being suppressed. The book also addresses causes like food, environment, and stress. The book focuses on specific parts of the body like the gut and mucus and how they can be affected by a weakened immunity. 

Book 2 addresses The Alkaline Mindset and Lifestyle. This is a gradual approach that requires belief, and long-term consistency and commitment. The book discusses the long-term transition steps like eating alkaline foods like leafy greens, cucumbers, avocados, alkaline water. Besides trying healthy foods, the book offers other suggestions like meditation, writing a gratitude journal, engaging in meaningful activities, and having a supportive community. The book covers various processes like eliminating toxic and acidic substances like processed foods and additional additives and chemicals. Daily and monthly detox schedules are included such as enhancing kidneys function with electrolytes and drinking herbal tea for dandelion, milk thistle, and ginger tea. Monthly detox such as creating an action plan for purchasing the right foods and making time for meditation. 

Book 3 is an Encyclopedia of various herbs arranged by healing properties such as Sarsaparilla for Blood purification and detox, Pau D’Arco for Immune Support System, Ginger Root for Digestion and Gut Health, Devil’s Claw for Anti-inflammatory and Pain Relief, St. John’s Wort for Antiviral and Infection Defense, Nopal Cactus for Blood Sugar Regulation and Diabetes Support, Vitex for Hormonal Balance & Women’s Health, Ashwagandha for Energy and Stress Relief, Cayenne Pepper for Heart and Health Circulation. Each chapter includes a description of the benefits of the herb, traditional uses, where they can be found, how they can be used and stored, step by step instructions on how to prepare them, potential contraindications, results over time, and recipe variation. 

Book 4 consists of Alkaline recipes including Alkaline Coconut-Quinoa Porridge for Breakfast, Alkaline Cucumber-Avocado Salad for Lunch, Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Sauce for Dinner, Spiced Apple Crumble for Desserts, Banana Date Energy Balls for Snacks, and Carrot Turmeric Cleansing Juice for Smoothies. 

Book 5 includes Herbal Remedies beyond food. Each section describes what the remedy is, how to prepare it, various techniques, and the uses of essential remedies, and tips including dosage, storage, and safety. Recipes include Echinacea Root Tincture for Tincture, Pau D’Arco Bark for Decoction and Syrup Recipes, Chamomile Poultice for Skin Irritation for Poultices and Compresses, and Peppermint Eucalyptus Steam for Herbal Bath and Steams. 

The final book, Book 6 discusses the Detoxification Protocol and its foundations. It illustrates how mucus is a key factor in health problems. The Alkaline diet, herbal support, and lifestyle changes like exercises and short-term intermittent fasting combats and eliminates mucus build up.Various detox pathways are mentioned like liver, kidneys, and the lymphatic system. Each section is described with functions, suggested foods, hydration, and other suggestions on how to optimize good health into these specific important organs. The final section recognizes the importance of detoxification to the skin.Therapeutic approaches including gentle cleansing, hydration, nutritional support, emollients and moisturizers, exfoliation, and lifestyle practices such as physical activity, sweating, ultraviolet protection, and sleep are incredibly important.

The Dr. Sebi Bible’s Ancient WIsdom and Holistic Pharmacist tells Readers everything that they need to know about natural remedies, Alkaline dieting, and living a holistic healthy life. 

The Books of Enoch (Audible) 

For Rick Sterling 

The Books of Enoch is a fascinating Biblical ancient apocalyptic religious text. It is mythology mixed with spirituality. It is entirely told from the point of view of Enoch, who the Bible describes as “one who walked with God” and ascended to Heaven without dying. 

 It focuses on many details that are minimized in the Canonical Bible such as putting more emphasis on the story of the fallen angels. They were punished for lying with human women, breeding half-human giant children, and teaching them forbidden knowledge.

 It also includes details about Noah's youth and relationships with his father Lamech, grandfather Methuselah, and great grandfather Enoch. His strange appearance such as eyes that lit up at night caused Lamech to question his paternity ( Methuselah told him that his features were signs of being divinely inspired and that he was biologically human and Lamech's son.)

Unlike the Canon Bible which puts the apocalyptic visions in the end of the Bible with the Book of Revelation, The Books of Enoch puts it right at the beginning. The placement of the Apocalypse in the first chapter of the first book shows how important these visions are to the text. 

The Audible version is narrated by James Burke. His is a soothing calming voice that reads the Books with deep understanding, wisdom, and faith in the text.

The Beginner's Trigger Point Self-Therapy Protocol by Grant Lawson 

For Book Square Publishing 

This book will help Readers with chronic pain identify and treat the trigger points where the pain begins and keep it from spreading. 

The book explains what trigger points are located and how they develop usually by stress, overuse, and inactivity. It also explains how traditional methods don't always work. It also talks about when to use self-treatment, its benefits, and when the pain is so bad that it requires medical attention.

The tools needed are objects to provide balance and stress relief. Also a comfortable environment with satisfactory room temperature is important. Steps are included that help find the trigger points and begin treating them. There are pictures and diagrams which name the specific areas where pain is triggered. Each section identifies the trigger point, what caused it, where it is located in the body, and how to release it.

The book features a 4-week recovery and prevention plan. Week 1 is for Resetting and Releasing. Week 2 is for Expanding and Restoration. Week 3 is for Integration and Rewiring. Week 4 is for Sustaining and Prevention. It also includes basic stretching exercises such as Neck Tilt, Seated Spinal Twist, and Foot Massages. These activities will increase mobility and can easily be integrated. Other routines such as Restorative Positions, Somatic Release Techniques, Diaphragmatic Breathing, and Guided Body Scans for Deep Intention and Tension Awareness.

The Trigger Point Therapy book is a thorough look at how trigger point therapy can be used to monitor and minimize pain and become healthy.

The Super Easy Zero Point Weight Loss Cookbook for Beginners by Diayunati Brayutuer

For Michael Cheng 

This book provides healthy meals for those who are interested in losing weight and living a sustainable and enjoyable lifestyle.

The introduction explains that the zero method focuses on foods that are low in calories but high in nutritional value. They are designed around ingredients that your body processes efficiently keeping you full and energized while promoting healthy weight loss. The nutritional foundations of the diet such as high fiber content, lean proteins, and low glycemic index are revealed. It also offers benefits and how to integrate the diet into daily meals. 

The recipes and meals include Bite-Sized Chocolate Chip Muffins for Breakfast, Zesty Grilled Chicken for Poultry, Easygoing Meat Loaf for Beef, Pork, and Lamb, Louisiana Shrimp Gumbo for Fish and Seafood, Low Carb Fathead Crackers for Snacks and Appetizers, Green Bean Bacon Bundles for Vegetable and Sides, Mediterranean Style Pan Pizza for Vegetarian Mains, Double Chocolate Brownies for Desserts, and Hearty Tomato and Basil Parmesan Soup for Stews and Soups.

This book provides a step by step process to integrate healthy eating and weight loss into Readers’ daily lives.

The Wallace House of Pain by S.M. Stevens; Muted Rage (The Forge Trilogy in The Shadow Guardians Series Book 2) by G. Russell Gaynor; In Search of Cognizance by Nabraj Lama

The Wallace House of Pain by S.M. Stevens

One of the best books that I read last year was Beautiful and Terrible Things by S.M. Stevens. It was a witty and insightful character study about a group of six friends: Charley, a bookseller, Xander, a political activist, Jessica, a financial analyst, Sunny, a solar energy systems sales associate, Terrence, Xander's fellow activist, and Buwan, an artist. The novel covers a period of several months where the friends face various personal internal conflicts, such as new romances, family drama,and shifting careers, and political external conflicts such as racial profiling, immigrant xenophobia, and income inequality. It's a wide reaching novel that covers various topics but also brilliantly captures its six protagonist’s traits, characteristics, and eccentricities that make them stand out as individuals and part of a group.

Stevens reentered that universe with the short novel, The Wallace House of Pain. Instead of an expansive novel about many things and having six leads, this one is shorter and more intimate focusing solely on one character. 

This time the lead is Xander Wallace himself. The short novel covers six chapters in which Xander brings each friend to his Conservative parent's house for dinner. The contrast between the fiery opinionated Xander, his rigid uncompromising father, Jim, his placid demure stepmother, Kathy, and his iconoclastic diverse friends is quite apparent.

Since this story is more compact, we get a closer look at Xander's background and experiences and how they contributed to his lifestyle and decisions in the novel. He is someone who saw a lot of artifice and superficiality. A home with plenty of affluent creature comforts but an inability to live his truth. He loves his parents and vice versa, but feels like he has to play a role for them.

 Xander can't discuss his work in any meaningful way. While he voices his political opinions, it can be very draining as he, and his parents especially his father, talk circles around each other never coming to an even ground. Xander has to hide his bisexuality, his political involvement, and even his name (His friends call him, “Xander” while his parents call him, “Alex”). Xander can't be his authentic self as he hides parts of himself from his family.

Much of Xander's real self is revealed by the family’s conversations with his friends. Terrence connects to his commitment to political activism. Sunny represents Xander's sexuality and gender identity. Jessica is indicative of the passion and talent that leads to finding a gainful career. Charley reflects his emotional and social connections with others. Buwan reveals Xander's self-expression and creative thinking as he uses his activism to shape the world into a better, more idealistic place with actual racial harmony and equality. 

Through the short novel, the larger aspects of Beautiful and Terrible Things are referred to particularly a Black Lives Matter protest that is a central climax in the previous novel. Xander's friends and his real self can no longer be denied as he reveals the real him to his father and stepmother, bisexual Liberal environmental social activist and all. He is able to be the open honest authentic person that we saw in the novel and be that person to his family.

The Wallace House of Pain is a small thread in the tapestry of the larger work but a very important one.

 

Muted Rage (The Forge Trilogy in The Shadow Guardians Series Book 2) by G. Russell Gaynor 

In The Blind Smith, the first book in G. Russell Gaynor’s The Forge Trilogy in The Shadow Guardians Series, tech billionaire genius John James “J.J.” Moore is severely wounded and rendered blind in an attack that kills his security team and his lover. He is recruited by a secret organization of spies and assassins and obtains the code name, “Augur.” He is able to use his new found abilities and organization to seek vengeance upon his enemies, including traitors to the organization.

The second volume, Muted Rage, elevates J.J.’s status significantly within the organization. Instead of being the rookie student, J.J. is now actively recruiting and training new members. His latest recruit is Sonya Bocharova, a Russian deaf woman. He sees a lot of himself in her. Her arrival can't come at a better or worse time because their enemies are closing in and ramping up their attacks.

This volume focuses primarily on action and plot which works well in the Political Spy Thriller subgenre. Sometimes the various characters and sides are disconcerting because it's hard to tell who is with which organization. Readers and characters are conditioned to be on the lookout for traitors and double crosses so just because someone seems on one side doesn't mean that they are going to stay that way. Sometimes it's a surprise twist but mostly because everyone is so suspicious, have ulterior motives, and live in worlds of morally gray, it's to be expected. Betrayal is the most logical step in their development.

The action also serves as a means for the various sides to show off their intellect. In the first book,  J.J., was playing 3-D chess while everyone else is playing checkers. In this book, everyone else is playing the same game of chess. Every character, including J.J., is trying to outfight and outsmart each other. As one organization gets an advantage, the next one fires back and so on. It keeps the Readers invested with its suspenseful tone.

While action is the primary facet to this book, there is some time for insightful characterization particularly in J.J.’s evolution from fresh newbie to hardened veteran. He was always somewhat arrogant in the previous book, though he had moments where his naivete was noticeable. There were also times when his conceit cost him dearly.

In this volume, J.J.’s character ascends to frightening levels. His Authoritarian streak is more paramount. Now that he is leader, his leadership style is iron will. In one chapter, one of J.J.’s colleagues calls him out on his personality and J.J. answers in a way that suggests that he is unapologetic and will only get worse. It raises the possibility whether in a future volume, characters may be driven to stop John James Moore rather than work with or for him.

So far though, J.J. still shows some glimmers of kindness. This is particularly noticeable in his dialogue with Sonya. They have a great deal in common, both have disabilities that they have or are in the process of using to their advantage as assassins. They both carry a lot of grief and anger.

 J.J. is at the point where he can guide someone else to channel that anger and put it to good use and Sonya sees a higher opportunity to protect others and unleash vengeance. With the help of sign language and technology that allows them to communicate, the two come to an understanding and partnership, perhaps even a friendship or more.

The action and lead characters help Muted Rage act on many of the things that were hinted at in the first volume. It prepares and keeps Readers in suspense ready for the next one.

In Search of Cognizance by Nabraj Lama 

It has been my pleasure to work with Nabraj Lama on his book, In Search of Cognizance. It is an evocative and insightful travel book about journeying to find a practical and spiritual path.

After a period of stress, frustration, and unanswered questions, Lama received a position from The Sacred Himalaya Initiative: Sacred Landscapes and Sustainable Futures. The project focused on studying and documenting the relationships between ecology and religion focusing on sacred spaces like Mount Kailash, a place that he studied on his own. The urge to travel to the Tibetan mountain consumed him so he decided to visit it. Lama had two objectives for the journey: to complete the project assignment and pursue a personal quest for spirituality. He describes this trip as one of “self-discovery and growth, as well as an exploration of the interconnectedness between humanity, nature, and the divine.”

This book is both rich in sensory detail and deep in spiritual meaning. It fills the senses with physical descriptions of the landscape and soothes the brain and emotions with its themes of connecting the physical plane with the spiritual. 

Lama’s gift for description is noticeable as he recounts the various settings before him. For example, he referred to Humla as “a hidden gem within the Himalayas (that) boasts breathtaking natural beauty, ecological diversity, and a rich cultural tapestry…a living testament to nature and culture.”

“With its towering green cliffs, cascading waterfalls, bountiful herbs, swift rivers, mesmerizing landscapes, and dense forests, Humla is truly remarkable,” Lama wrote.

The places that Lama and his companions visited were indicative of the countries and the people. One of the places that they visited was Dharipuri, a fish-shaped rock that according to legend were once a pair of real fish that transformed into rocks. When Lama observed the rock, he was struck between the obvious difference in the Tibetan and Hindu communities and the contrast of the downstream where fish were present and upstream where they were not. “The reasons behind the cultural and ecological divide remain elusive, but the fish-shaped rocks will forever stand as a testament to the mysteries of the region,” he said.

Besides places, Lama is adept at recounting the people that he encountered on his journey. His traveling companions, local villagers, officials, and hospitality workers are richly characterized. Among them was Ram Bhakta Sunar, a luggage handler. He owned three mules that carried tourist's luggage from one point to another. He cared for them so they provided for his family. During the off season, Ram let them run free in the forest and only retrieved them for work. He had goals such as wanting to get married at age 19 and one day have a family. Learning about Ram gave Lama some insight to what life was like for villagers, especially the ones that were dependent on tourism and the local environment to survive.

During the trip, Lama and his colleagues witness local concerns such as conservation, poverty, and the pinch of authoritarianism. Nowhere is this more prevalent than when they entered TAR, China. The travelers were ordered not to carry any items related to the Dalai Lama, wander off, enter, or take photographs of anything that they weren't allowed to. They were forbidden from bringing notebooks, books, cell phones, or other controversial items. It's a stark reminder that when traveling to other countries, one must be aware of the land around them and be careful when observing laws and regulations. 

The places that they visited reflected the local culture and folklore. Among those are the sacred lakes, Manasarovar and Rakshas Tal. Rakshas Tal is called the Lake of Demons and its black waters invited legends and stories that it was once frequented by demons. Manasarovar is considered sacred waters and is revered by various religions. It is believed that the waters purify the souls of those who bathed within it. 

The two lakes show the transformative power between the physical and spiritual world, that folklore is often used to describe nature and nature is often used to augment local lore.

Like many long travels, Lama writes about the problems which can occur. There was physical pain experienced by Lama and other travelers (particularly one woman who had menstrual pain while climbing a steep path). There were times where the groups separated and couldn't find each other for awhile. Of course there were times of complications like getting lost, missing a hostel, personality conflicts and all of the usual problems associated with travel. 

One of the most meaningful complications which led to some important lessons occurred while walking along the Dolma La Pass. It was a narrow but crowded path where travelers, locals, and animals teemed along the path. Lama opted to take small steps and opted for shortcuts rather than get in people's way. He was happy to see people helping each other, guiding, or pulling one another down the path.

 Lama himself decided to go through great effort on the path. He crawled through a narrow passageway to test his karma. He finally reached Mt. Kailash Kora to pay his respects, meditated, sang, and shared camaraderie with his companions and other visitors. The struggle of going through the pass was just as important as the destination of Mt. Kailash Kora. Lama said that the kora stands “as a powerful testament to the enduring human spirit and our unwavering pursuit of personal growth and self-realization.”

The trip was one where Lama wanted to seek spiritual fulfillment. His journey to Mt. Kailash gave him more than that. He wrote that he gained fulfillment and enrichment from this journey. 

Lama had “a newfound sense of serenity and inner peace, reflecting on the transformative experiences encountered along the way,” he said. “…The return journey transcended the physical realm, evolving into a deeply introspective and emotional endeavor… I realized that this voyage had left an indomitable mark on my soul, forever changing perspective on life, spirituality, and the power of nature.”

The journey allowed Lama to confront his fears and anxieties.He recognized kindness, respect, gratitude and selflessness that transformed his life and those around him. He recognized the interconnectedness of humanity, nature, and the divine. The experience gave him a stronger sense of purpose and spirit which he continues to share as a Research Scholar at Lumbini Buddhist University, and his articles and books on spiritual and cultural topics.

Lama's book shows Readers that the natural world can be the key for one to reconnect to the metaphysical world and to achieve mental, emotional, and spiritual clarity and peace.

Traumatization and Its Aftermath: The Systemic Approach to Understanding and Treating Traumatic Disorders by Antonieta Contreras: The Candid Odyssey: Exploring India and The Philosophy of Life by B Johny;

Traumatization and Its Aftermath: The Systemic Approach to Understanding and Treating Traumatic Disorders by Antonieta Contreras

Antonieta Contreras’ book Traumatization and Its Aftermath: The Systemic Approach to Understanding and Treating Traumatic Disorders is an in depth look at trauma, how it affects our lives, and what can be done to treat it.

While there is some confusion over what trauma is and isn't, Contrera describes trauma as “the effects of the activation of the innate survival circuits that are designed to protect the individual from the possibility of dying after a severe reaction to a threatening occurrence.” 

It's good to separate what trauma is (long term, creating barriers between self and an event to keep from experiencing it again or dying) and what trauma isn't (short term, emotional distress or disappointment without extensive change in lifestyle or behavior). The means of understanding what trauma actually is helps define, identify, and ultimately recognize and treat it.

Contreras identifies the various stages of traumatization by using a lightning strike as an example. The lightning that appears in the sky and scares the person is called traumatic. The trauma process officially begins by a traumatic event for example getting struck by lightning and becoming aware of the danger. 

Traumatization starts when the person becomes shocked and scared. Survival circuits are activated by reacting in fear, perhaps filled with anxiety and fear of loud noises. The reaction dissipates info defeat as the survival mode is depleted. When this final stage is met, the mind and body react with long term lasting injuries and complications which reignite the traumatization long afterwards. The stages help Readers recognize the patterns in their own lives and where they may lie within that cycle. 

The book also goes into detail about the effects that trauma has on the body particularly the brain and emotions. It focuses on how external traumatizing agents like abuse, neglect, and systemic adversity can create internal agents like distorted perception, shame, guilt, fear and defeat. Mechanisms like the Fight-Flight-Freeze-Fawn response are also explored. Traumatization is an ongoing continuous process which can be physically, mentally and emotionally troubling. 

The book uses medical and psychological terms to analyze and systematize trauma. Some of it can be dense and hard to follow but the basic approach is to show how a person lives with trauma and how it affects their lives and relationships with others.

Contreras like many authors uses case studies to prove her point but unlike many authors who name several specific examples, Contreras uses one study of one specific individual spreading their story across several chapters to give an in depth look on how trauma can continue for years even decades after the first traumatic event.

Contreras tells the story of Michaela who was drugged and raped by an acquaintance. This traumatic event grew as Michaela tried to seek counseling but received a lack of empathy and a lot of insulting questions towards her ethnicity. The rape and the questions led her to feel fear, shame, and an inability to articulate or share her trauma. 

Michaela then developed PTSD from the ordeal. She avoided people and situations that reminded her of the rape or her rapist. She had negative thoughts about herself, blamed herself, and lost interest in things. 

After therapy and self reflection, Michaela realized the rape wasn't her only bad experience. She realized that she was abused in other ways by previous relationships though she did not recognize it as abuse at the time. She dealt with them by dissociating herself. 

She also recalled a neglected childhood from a mother who was herself abused when she was young. Michaela also had a contentious relationship with a brother who ran away from home when she was a child. 

Michaela recognized these earlier events and patterns contributed to the post trauma from her rape. Understanding and naming the trauma gave her the awareness and courage to work through it. Michaela’s story is an example for us all.

Traumatization and Its Aftermath brings trauma to the forefront so it can be seen, analyzed, understood, treated, and maybe someday ended.

The Candid Odyssey: Exploring India and The Philosophy of Life by B. Johny

B. Johny’s The Candid Odyssey: Exploring India and The Philosophy of Life is a detailed and descriptive trip through India and we're all invited. Well sort of.

That's because Johnny writes the book in first person plural using “we”, Instead of “I.” While people often travel in groups and Johnny could very well be referring to his actual traveling companions, the pronoun may have been chosen for stylistic reasons. It's a way to draw the Reader in so they can vicariously enjoy the trip alongside Johny.

From August 20 to October 22, 2022 Johny travelled to India to recover from a bout of depression and for a journey of self-discovery. During that time, Johny visited many places, encountered many people, and reflected on many things. 

Johny describes his experiences rather well in a way that invites Readers to picture them in their heads. He describes Horniman Circle Garden in Mumbai as “filled with people enjoying their time in peace. Some read quietly, others nap on the grass, and some engage in deep discussions….As we rest near a tree, we observe small rats scurrying about in search of food.” Johny wants us to experience everything in India, the beauty and ugliness, the rare and commonplace, the familiar and unfamiliar. 

Johny finds meaning in various experiences on his trip. He describes passing through a tunnel as “we feel a sense of joy, knowing that at the end of the darkness lies light. Witnessing that light is a satisfying experience….We only realize the presence of light when we go through the darkness. Similarly, life is filled with peace and happiness, which we appreciate only after experiencing some conflict and sorrow.”

Even hardships on the trip lead to valuable life lessons. When Johny came down with a fever, he recognized the importance of being sedentary even while traveling and scheduling an extra week for just such an occasion. “Just like race cars need a pit stop, it's time for a pit stop in our journey….A day to rest, rethink, replan, and refresh. Such pit stops are applicable throughout our lives. This long journey itself is a pit stop in life.”

Since this is a journey of self-discovery, spirituality is often discussed. Johny found a deeper connection to spirit in various people, places, and things. He describes a train ride as one of the best meditation techniques. “When we gaze out of the window, countless thoughts arise, often unexpectedly. The very thoughts we had been seeking….The interesting thing is that we gradually transition between locations, making it difficult to recognize the differences easily. This mirrors life itself; we gradually transition through ages, and it's not always apparent how we’ve changed as we grow older. Recognizing who we are requires self-reflection. Ultimately, our consistent self-reflection leads to self-realization, a deep pursuit of knowing ourselves. By being mindful of our actions, words, and intentions we can effectively navigate this journey.”

Just as we can through life.

Buckingham Mockup by Asif I. Shaikh; Humorous, Satiric, Warm, and Spiritual Journey of Hiding From The Law and Finding Oneself

Buckingham Mockup by Asif I. Shaikh; Humorous, Satiric, Warm, and Spiritual Journey of Hiding From The Law and Finding Oneself 

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: Asif I. Shaikh's Buckingham Mockup walks a thin line between humor and joy, satire and spirit, something to laugh at and something to think about.

Alan Haworth went on the run via plane with embezzled drug money. He makes an emergency landing on the island of McCoypuri. He befriends the various locals including Andrew and Marta, a couple that look after Alan during his arrival, Sikander and Hannah, who own Lala’s, the restaurant and hangout, and Laladip, a politician with designs on expansion. Alan becomes involved with his new surroundings while plotting an escape and getting more money.  But he begins to really like the place and people.

Buckingham Mockup takes a tone that might seem uneven but is also meaningful within the distinct divisions that separates them. It starts out as a satirical and even silly crime and political caper. It then takes a strange turn and becomes a meditative and spiritual journey towards finding oneself in a greater place than they were before.

While he is in McCoypuri, Alan plots to get enough money and plans his escape. He can't help but see the criminal possibilities for such an isolated island with plenty of resources, locals, and tourists to take advantage of. He acts appalled by that thought, but often goes back to it as though he may not mind the financial advantages that such a venture could bring. 

He is someone whose criminal history is somewhat laughable as he was a low level grunt who knew that he was in over his head but wanted to make a fast buck. When things got too dangerous, Alan fled for his life and crashed a plane into McCoypuri. If not for his new friends, his escape would have been a short one. It's a good thing that he becomes involved with various legit businesses because he was an incompetent criminal.

Alan is practically rescued and tended by the locals and is torn between his growing loyalty towards them and his own ambitions. He becomes involved with Sikander’s social media presence and local activism. He works with Laladip’s campaign and PR ops. He encourages Hannah's volunteer work and embraces her social consciousness. He also makes Laladip’s a home away from home. The longer that Alan stays in McCoypuri, the more that he feels accepted and involved.

There is a deeper spiritual connection that is understated but still captivating. Alan gets into deeper discussions with characters about altruism, faith, acceptance, and feeling a part of something greater than himself. 

The title Buckingham Mockup describes a model or rendering of a design or product that shows how it might look and function in real life. In the book, it is built for a hotel that Alan envisions for the island. It also serves as a double meaning for Alan himself.

The Alan that we meet at the beginning of the book is the design and model. He gives the impression of being shallow, materialistic, and longing for excitement and easy money. As Alan’s journey continues, we see the real Alan: the one who is empathetic, connected, involved, active, generous, centered, and calmer. In making plans for his new home, Alan realizes that he actually is home.

 

New Book Alert: For All of Us by Jillian Rose; Reincarnation Romance is Centered by Spiritual Connection and Meaningful Characterization

 

New Book Alert: For All of Us by Jillian Rose; Reincarnation Romance is Centered by Spiritual Connection and Meaningful Characterization

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

This book is also reviewed on Reedsy Discovery 

Spoilers: Here's a theme from two years ago: reincarnated lovers reunited in modern day, reveling in their timeless love and weighing whether they should be together in the current timeline. This time, it is captured by Jillian Rose in her Romance/Magical Realism novel, For All of Us. Technically, Rose’s version is nothing new, but it is a spiritually centered and captivating character driven novel. I suppose like its lovers, the theme itself is timeless, that love never dies and that there may be some existence beyond physical death.

Cora is a Yoga instructor, seemingly happily married to Emerson, an architect. She is assigned by Emerson’s partner, Natasha, to teach at the Catskills Retreat Center to encourage creativity and unity among their co-workers. Neither Emerson nor Natasha can come but Cora is sure that she can handle it. While there, she meets the participants in the class and the Retreat staff, particularly its owner, Kai. As she spends time with Kai, she begins to feel an emotional and spiritual connection that causes her to evaluate her marriage and realize that there are things that were unsaid and unacknowledged between her and Emerson. While this is going on, there is another story set in the early 20th Century about a couple named Juliette and Asher who fall in love and have a child, Pearl, before going through a devastating loss. In the present, Cora and Kai share memories of Juliette and Asher, further complicating their relationships both past and present.

There are some moments where the Reader feels a sense of spiritual calm. The chapters at the Retreat are filled with moments like these. Cora and Kai take walks in the woods and mountains and their senses are activated by the nature surrounding them. Cora’s classes are lessons in poses as well as mindfulness and transcendence.

These classes and her time at the Retreat benefits her as well as her students. Cora and Emerson suffered tremendous loss in their life, one that they don't talk about but causes a strain in their marriage. They keep the pain and sadness locked away and never acknowledge it. But the more that they don't talk about it, the more it pulls on them revealing the fractures between their happy facade. It is only in the safety of the Retreat and communicating with Kai that Cora finds the catharsis and emotional release that she needed. 

It also is at the Retreat in which Cora and Kai awaken their past life memories as Juliette and Asher. Now I will admit that while I don't necessarily dislike reincarnated lovers tropes, I have however seen times when it is done badly. Bram Stoker’s Dracula for example. Just because they were lovers in one life does not mean that they are entitled to be together in the current one. Let's not forget about things like consent and they may already be in a loving relationship. Where many people saw Gary Oldman speaking passionately about “crossing oceans of time,” I just saw a sexual predator who raped, assaulted, and brutalized a woman that he felt entitled to have because she resembled his dead wife.

I have also seen reincarnated lovers as a trope done with the theme that just because you were happy in one life or thought that you were, doesn't mean that you really were or guaranteed to be in the current one. Nikki Broadwell’s novel, Rosemary for Remembrance is a brilliant take on that in which a married couple live simultaneous lives in the 19th and mid-20th century and get all the baggage that comes with it including the arguments, infidelity, incompatible personalities, separations, trauma and so on. 

Actually Rose’s novel contains that as well when both Cora and Juliette suffer similar deaths in their lives. Those simultaneous moments of grief, anguish, and the aftermath on how both women and the men in their lives deal with the tragedies in different ways are some of the highlights.

What saves For All of Us from falling into the simplistic style of reincarnated lovers done badly is that Jillian Rose does not shy away from the actual consequences that occur when the lovers are reunited. If they are in another relationship, someone is going to get hurt. Also just because they resemble that person and share those memories doesn't mean that they necessarily are that specific identity. They are an entirely different person with different current memories, have been through different experiences, and have a different personality than the one who went on before.

For All of Us knows about this conflict because exploring Cora’s complex feelings towards Kai and Emerson. It's not a binary “either or” choice. They are both great guys. While yes she recognizes that there are unspoken cracks in her marriage, that doesn't make Emerson an irredeemable monster, just a flawed human being. One that acknowledges those flaws and is willing to work on them. 

What helps this particular version is the care that Rose shows all parties in this situation: Cora, Kai, Emerson, and even Natasha who is also affected by these events (and of course Juliette and Asher). They are well written with no direct protagonist/antagonist conflict. They also strive to be their most honest authentic selves in their relationships and finally reach that point with each other. They are paired not just by passion, love, or previous memories but by that honesty and authenticity.

Lit List Short Reviews: The Undeniable Power of Movement by Nicole Mott; The Performance CEO by Michael Koch; Unexpected by Dr. Jill Carnahan; God is Good by Margaret Liu Collins

 

The Undeniable Power of Movement: The Irrefutable Power Habits of Elite Athletes, Leaders & High Performers to Achieve of Any Goal

By Nicole Mott

Sometimes, when people have a goal that they have trouble starting it, staying motivated, or get easily discouraged against it, they quit their goal before achieving it. Nicole Mott’s book, The Undeniable Power of Movement, delivers common sense advice to help readers not only make and reach goals, but provides tips and advice on how to stay focused on that goal.

Mott was inspired to write this book after her son, Caleb, was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome. Despite the diagnosis and the difficulties that the syndrome took on Caleb's body, he wanted to try out for the major league soccer development academy team. After a lot of practice and determination, Caleb became part of the team. He was released after a year but used that experience as inspiration for later obtaining an academic and athletic scholarship at a university in West Virginia. This example of Caleb's life reminds the reader that despite hardships goals can be achieved and sometimes changed but with a positive outlook, one can still find happiness and personal satisfaction.

Many of the chapters consist of certain steps like “Focus” (stating the goal and the steps towards meeting it), “Discipline” (working hard to achieve each step and being a team player at work and home), “Mindset” (maintaining a positive mental attitude and using each setback as a learning experience), and “Health” (making sure to diet and exercise to heal the body and mind).

The best chapter is the one on “Reducing Distractions.” It is particularly concerned with people who have Depression and Anxiety. Those and other mental disorders are some of the biggest stumbling blocks that interfere with goal setting and achieving. This chapter provides some good advice for people whose minds might be filled with those nagging questions, doubts, and those times when the body is too overwhelmed or too unmotivated to move beyond that moment and seek a positive future.

The Undeniable Power of Movement is a plainly written book with steps, tips, and exercises that engage readers. Like any good personal development book, it allows people to get moving.

God is Good 2nd Ed. by Margaret Liu Collins

Margaret Liu Collins’ book, God is Good 2nd. ed. is a deeply spiritual and inspirational book for readers who look for a Higher Power to help them with their life struggles.

Collins inserts Biblical passages from the text that serve as comfort for the readers. Verses such as “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’”(Psalms 32:8 NLT) They illustrate the recognition of faith in the life of a religious or spiritual person.

The author also uses examples from her own life in which she felt God's presence encouraging and aiding her in times of trouble. One of the most dramatic chapters recounts her abusive first marriage when she relied on God's strength to help her persevere through the tremendous physical and emotional abuse and give her courage to rebuild her life with her children when the marriage came to an end.

God is Good is an excellent book for the spiritual and religious minded person to remind them that they are not alone.

Unexpected: Finding Resilience Through Functional Medicine, Science, and Faith

By Jill Carnahan, MD

Unexpected: Finding Resilience Through Functional Medicine, Science, and Faith is a book about deeply personal struggles and how anyone can find comfort and strength within them.

Many of Carnahan's struggles are detailed and lead to lessons that she learned that are to be shared with others. Carnahan writes lovingly of her childhood on a farm in Illinois with a large close family. Unfortunately, that farm life took a tremendous cost on her health. She developed allergies and fatigue and later breast cancer at a young age. The cause, she later discovered, was the highly toxic and carcinogenic chemicals that her father and other farmers used for their crops. This experience not only got her interested in science and medicine, but taught her the importance of trusting one's intuition, to study the environment and how to implement functional medicine, a systems based biology based model that empowers patients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of the diseases. 

Carnahan’s marriage taught her to trust and rely on others and find humor even in bad situations. Eventually, the marriage ended in divorce which taught Carnahan to learn to let go. These situations may run parallel to circumstances that readers find themselves in and can practice in their own lives.

Unexpected is a book that leads by example. It tells the readers that if Carnahan got through her troubles, so can they.

The Performance CEO: An Extreme Cognitive Protocol for Entrepreneurial Success by Michael Koch 

Michael Koch’s The Performance CEO: An Extreme Cognitive Protocol for Entrepreneurial Success is a high energy, cognitive approach for the ambitious forward thinking CEO who often feels discouraged and a little out of focus.

This book is encouraging towards those who have a daring ambitious active drive to be a success in all that they do. In fact, there is something of the drill sergeant/tough love instructor in Koch’s narration. This approach works for the type of reader that this book is aimed for: the reader who wants the straight forward tough approach of facing life's challenges. They want the author to give them the facts and activities and leave out the sentiment.

Most of the book consists of physical activities like diet and exercise. Koch recommends a very rigid and active approach that requires dedication. For example, the diet chapter encourages fasting 23 hours for one day per week requiring a high level of commitment. 

The exercise chapter encourages high activity with weight lifting and strength training along with stretching and poses to encourage mindfulness. 

The Performance CEO is the type of book for the high energy ambitious executive who needs incentive to keep moving.

Lit List Short Reviews: Authenticity: Poems by Lesley Day; Wolf Weather by Miles Watson; Reflections in My Magical Mirror: Lessons of Love from the School of Life by Ivan Figuero-Otero, M.D.; Jane Austen's Totally Unexpected New York Adventure by Robin Robby; Abraham Lincoln Tribute: His Life and Legacy by Zaki J. Doudak

 Lit List Short Reviews: Authenticity: Poems by Lesley Day; Wolf Weather by Miles Watson; Reflections in My Magical Mirror: Lessons of Love from the School of Life by Ivan Figueroa-Otero, M.D.; Jane Austen's Totally Unexpected New York Adventure by Robin Robby; Abraham Lincoln Tribute: His Life and Legacy by Zaki J. Doudak 

Authenticity: Poems by Lesley Day

Lesley Day's book of poems, Authenticity, explores many emotions like depression, grief, loneliness, fear, and solitude. She captures them all with raw, naked, and honest confessional poems that dare the Reader to feel what the Speaker is feeling.

From the first poem, "Nothing More Than A Prick," Day reveals her ability to capture those feelings through life changing moments. The Speaker reads through diary entries from when she was younger. The entries are from a 14 year old's perspective revealing her first experience with what she perceived as heartbreak.

The Speaker mocks her naivete and realizes that as an adult, she has experienced real loss and heartbreak.Day writes, "Who knew the flowing streams of tears, in reality, were only puddles?/Who knew the stones that weighed me down were only tiny pebbles?/Who knew I would one day envy feeling so strongly over something so trivial?" Now that she felt real sadness as an adult, the Speaker realizes that what she felt as a teenager was a mild mere pinprick compared to how she feels now.

Many of Day's poems deal with specific moments that cause great stress and grief and elicit strong emotional responses. The poem, "I've Been Here Before" deals with The Speaker's lover's suicide. Day transitions the lover's point of view from second to third person. In doing so, she wants to compartmentalize his troubled symptoms and the rest of his personality.

In one stanza, she says that "he" aimed a gun at her head. Then she changes perspective by saying, "Now I know that wasn't you/And I'm not saying that's what I think you'll do/But/Eyes,looks, tone of voice, and the rambles of a mind that is temporarily not your own/Triggers something inside/I see it flash before my eyes/Only this time?/He's not in my line of sight/It's you.." She wants to believe that the person with the gun, the one who ended his life, was a different person than the one that she fell in love with. She knows however that they were one and the same. The Speaker is struggling with her own complex feelings of guilt and blame over his death.

Day's poems reveal the various symptoms of depression and grief and how they affect those who have to endure them. "She Comes at Night" explores one of the Speaker's"enemies": insomnia. Day personifies insomnia as a clever enemy, something that sneaks into the Speaker's thoughts, races like a train, keeps her awake, and inspires her. The Speaker knows that this is unhealthy and the energy that insomnia temporarily gives her tapers off. Day writes, "Thoughts are no longer clever, and they make less and less sense/As the days drag on/My mind is foggy and overworked/I'm drowning, as I grasp for sleep/I'm sinking/Waiting for unconsciousness to save me."

The Speaker's battle with insomnia is an ongoing struggle in which she keeps fighting for her mind's sake.As many who have Depression can tell, it's not always dealt with or expressed in the same way. Some people take to their beds and can barely move. Others try their best to hide it. "Functional" describes someone who hides her depression behind function. The Speaker goes out, works, and interacts with others. Many would believe that she doesn't have it. She even tells herself that she's fine, but knows that it's there. She lies to herself until she no longer can. She refers to her depression as "controlled claustrophobia." "You know it's there," Day writes. "You recognize its presence/You feel the itch of panic tingle its skin/But you will yourself to breathe/And tell yourself that you will be okay/You don't allow yourself to scratch the itch/Because it will only make it spread."

Besides being functional,The Speaker describes her depression as a "sometimes " thing. She doesn't always have the symptoms, but when she does, they hit hard. Perhaps The Speaker's depression is so powerful because she doesn't always feel that way. If depression was always there, perhaps it could recede into dullness whereas when it comes and goes, it comes on sharp, fast, and painful.

While Day's poems can seem bleak, they also present ways of coping with stress and depression. The poem, "Quiet in the Spaces," gives the Speaker the comfort of solitude. It says, "I don't enjoy the rush of life/Not rush as an emotion/But rush as in not enough time/You see/I need time/I need it to savor the quiet moments/The ones found in the spaces/Between the significance of a day." Day reminds the Reader that sometimes the most chaotic minds need those quiet times and safe spaces to reflect and just be.

Another positive coping mechanism can be found through reading and writing. In "Addiction to Lines," the Speaker reveals her addiction to "blank journals." With those journals, she can share her thoughts, express herself, and confide her troubles like a friend. The poem says, "They sit in a pile at my shelf/And when I look at the different colors melding together, I feel safe/Their silent presence is comforting/I'm no longer anxious about running out of lines/I feel confident that there will be enough for my thoughts to sleep." The Speaker is able to put her thoughts and emotions into her journals so they can provide some comfort and even control over them.

The book, Authenticity, puts emotions, especially the hardest ones to feel,together to create a whole soul. The poem, "Painted Colors" compares the soul to a painting that displays the various colors of emotions. Each one is painted in, carefully and precisely. It's an ongoing process which changes each time. The poem says, "Strokes of color do not come easy/Nor do they come quickly/But all it takes/Is one small blink/To paint black over all the colors/And drench this soul in darkness." This poem reveals what's inside the mind and soul of a person with depression. There will always be a bit of black inside them that will never truly disappear and can sometimes feel overpowering. However, that's not all there is. There are other colors, other emotions, that surround the soul and make it complete and authentic.

Wolf Weather by Miles Watson

Miles Watson's latest short work is a chilling atmospheric Dark Fantasy Horror that shows that there can be much to be feared in the cold woods during winter.

Crowning, a soldier of the Empire's Legion. Since Dagamin the Restless obtained the throne after conflicts between warring kingdoms. Dagamin decided to expand his kingdom far into the North. There isn't anything out there but wolves, he insists.

Unfortunately, they aren't just any wolves as the human-like howling and the wolves walking around on hind legs can attest. Then Crowning's fellow Legionnaires keep disappearing and the wolves' numbers increase. 

Wolf Weather is not long, only 62 pages, but like Watson's other works like The Numbers Game, The Devils You Know, and Deus Ex, he is an expert at capturing a really tense moment with plenty of atmosphere and not a lot of exposition. Aside from the bit of information about the preceding wars, and the current empire, we aren't told much about the political climate. We get some implications especially towards the end that all may not be well in this empire and that's all we need.

This is told from the point of view of Crowning, a Legion soldier, the type who follows orders. He doesn't see anything wrong with the Empire until he is faced with the possibility that encroaching on other lands might not be a good idea especially when the locals are not happy about it. 

The book is filled with descriptions that highlight the tension and isolation that Crowning feels during this story. The North seems cut off from the rest of the world because of the cold snowy landscape. Even when he is with the Legionnaires, there is a feeling of loneliness and despair. It gets worse as the other soldiers disappear and Corwin is literally and metaphorically cut off from everyone and everything that he knows.

One of the more interesting aspects is how Wilson writes werewolves. Their links between their human and animalistic natures are revealed and actually are even balanced. In most werewolf tales, the human side is not in control, usually not remembering or regretting their actions. Here the werewolves know what they are doing and why. It is almost seen as a reclamation between humans and nature that these half-human half-wolves have accepted their wild natural side and live their lives away from the structured human world. 

Corwin's encounter with the werewolves changes his outlook. He struggles to retain his humanity and his identity as a Legionnaire. However, his encounter with the werewolves causes him to question his loyalty, his placement in society, his own natural instincts, and the Emperor's ambitions. It culminates in a climax when Corwin has to face the truth of who he really is and what he really wants.

Wolf Weather is a short work but an interesting one with great atmosphere, characterization, and an interesting outlook at magical creatures who have been sidelined long enough.

Spirituality 104: Reflections in My Magical Mirror Lessons of Love from the School of Life by Ivan Figueroa-Otero, M.D.

I haven't read the other books in Ivan Figueroa-Otero's School of Life books so that would probably make his book, Spirituality 104: Reflections in My Magical Mirror Lessons of Love from the School of Life more comprehensive and expansive. However, Reflections in My Magical Mirror, is a short book that captures various lessons and advice from the previous books. Without the other books, the chapters are very thin and shallow with the content.

However they are also helpful and easily digestible if the Reader wants to read an uplifting quick chapter that reflects a problem that they are going through. 

Each chapter is the same. It begins with a quote from one of the previous School of Life Books. Then Figueroa-Otero continues with an interpretation of the quote from a spiritual perspective. Finally, he offers an exercise based on the quote in the chapter. It's formulaic but easy for Readers to determine which chapter may fit their particular situation.

For example Chapter 15 focuses on the quote: "We are like rivers that always flows (sic) to God's greatest ocean of love." Figueroa-Otero then compares the quotation to holograms where an original image can be replicated by its parts. The information is stored into each part to create the whole image, so each part makes a whole.

He also uses natural imagery to articulate the quote. With the one mentioned in Chapter 15, Figueroa-Otero compares us, humanity, to individual rivers flowing into the great ocean of the Universe. We are not separated. What affects our individual rivers affects the ocean and vice versa. 

The exercise encourages the Reader to visualize love flowing through them like water from a river into an ocean. It is designed to remind us that we are a small part of the universe and that we should share our love with those around us. 

Reflections in a Magical Mirror is slanted towards a more Biblical perspective. Figueroa-Otero uses quotes from the Bible such as "Whatever you did for my brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40). However, the emphasis is not on Christian Salvation, so much as it is on helping others and being kind. It is easy to replace the Christian rhetoric with any other spiritual path that talks about kindness, generosity, love, selflessness, and feeling spiritually centered. 

Reflections in My Magical Mirror is not a long book but it is one that is very helpful when you want a few minutes to clear your mind and fill your spirit.

Jane Austen's Totally Unexpected New York Adventure by Robin Robby

Robin Robby's novellette, Jane Austen's Totally Unexpected New York Adventure is a humorous and slightly romantic science fiction in which Jane Austen takes a trip to the future.

In 2061, New York, Fred, his friend, David, and fiancee, Clara have access to a time machine. So where to go? Well Clara is a huge Jane Austen fan having read her books several times and played Marianne Dashwood in a stage production of Sense and Sensibility. So for Clara meeting Jane Austen would be like meeting a favorite rock star. Plus, she died in 1817 at the age of 41 of either Addison's Disease or Hodgkin's Lymphoma. So the trio decided to dress in their Regency best and meet Austen at her home as she is beginning her final novel Persuasion, take her to the future where she can be treated with modern medicine, and return her to live a full productive life. Unfortunately, they don't count on Austen's overwhelming curiosity for this new futuristic world or Fred's growing affection for a certain English Regency era novelist.

The highlight of this Sci Fi Rom Com is Austen herself. She stands out from everyone else with her much more elevated speech patterns. When they ask her about her health, Austen replies "If I had not been suffering from such an annoying back pain, yes, I would turn back and bid you good day. But you have gauged my curiosity to no end. Whatever ends the pain."

In fact her manner of speech stands out that when others, particularly Carla, emulate her speech, it intentionally seems fake. They are playing a role while Austen lives it.

Among the more delightful moments are when Austen observes the future. She is like an amazed child on their first Christmas morning. The lights, the people, and the modern buildings. No wonder she is "quite intoxicated." She is also amazed at the sociopolitical change of women in occupations that weren't dreamt of in her day, such as doctors, attorneys, and academics. Even Austen herself had to take credit for her own books as "A Lady." She is amazed and flattered that people from the future would know and admire her so much that they would want to see her (after she recovers from the initial shock that people from the future could travel to the past in the first place). She knows that her life was not in vain and that her "sketches" will be remembered.

It is her amazement and spirit that attracts Fred. At first he is cynical but willing to go along with the trip to impress Clara and one up David who built the machine. (In fact, he gets tired of David bragging about building the machine). The more time he spends with Austen, the more he sees someone who hides a rebellious nature behind a prim exterior. One who uses her works to satirize and ask direct questions about relationships hidden under convention. One who now sees those imaginative efforts and her legacy pay off. One who observes human nature and is able to put those observations into her works, especially her final finished posthumous work, Persuasion.

Jane Austen's Totally Unexpected New York Adventure is not just a fun time travel story. It's a love letter to an author who inspired and moved many.

Abraham Lincoln Tribute: His Life and Legacy by Zaki J. Doudak 

Zaki J. Doudak's Abraham Lincoln Tribute His Life and Legacy is not a dry account of Lincoln's life complete with important events and timelines. Instead, it is more of an inspirational tribute about why Lincoln's legacy is still so important and what it means for people today.

The book begins with two important quotations during Lincoln's political career, portions of The Gettysburg Address and quotes from his debate with Stephen Douglas. It also includes a chapter about Mary Todd Lincoln's life after her husband and son's deaths including her interest in Spiritualism and struggles with mental illness. The final third is an opinion essay by Doudak which explains the importance of Lincoln's legacy and its meaning in subsequent times when racism and division is still very much alive.

Lincoln's words have been repeated often but this book gathers some of the most stirring. Quotes like "The brave men, living and dead, who struggled (at Gettysburg) have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little know nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here" remind us why Lincoln was known as a master orator. In giving this address, Lincoln takes attention away from himself and towards the soldiers that died and sacrificed. It also reveals how important it is for the United States to remain one union, so the soldiers would not have died in vain.

Mary Todd Lincoln's widowed life is the subject of many psychological studies. Doudak describes her as someone who suffered tremendous loss and wanted to hold onto her family connections and find some peace of mind. Doudak wrote, "That (Mary Todd Lincoln) was welcome in the arms of the unliving says much of the state of human beings in the 19th century. That death was not merely a way to be at peace, but a way to offer peace to those that needed it." He sees her as a woman who used her belief in life after death to give her peace during her troubled later years.

Most of the book, "A Celebration of Life" is an almost poetic essay that recognizes what Lincoln's life meant. It reminds Readers that they could be an inspiration and stand up for equality and unity. Doudak writes, "That there is an ebb and flow and a push and pull says more about human beings than it does on Earth. That there are changes, perceptions, and dreams to fulfill only underpins our desire to maturate in this world. That we do live up to our responsibilities depends on how we choose to view our role as caretakers."

Doudak's writings suggest that the many struggles today reveal that division is still rampant. We can come together as a union when we see each other as equals and express our highest human traits like kindness, understanding, and empathy.

History judges those who made changes and sacrifices for others. That is the legacy that people like Abraham Lincoln stood for. That there are certain causes and people that will sacrifice everything for and freedom, unity, and equality are among the most important.