Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Comics, Fiction, supernatural, Young-Adult

A Hidden Message (The Forgotten Tales Book 1) by Elijah Shaw| Review

Nasir is about to start his life in college. Coming from a small town, he’s not used to the big city life and at first, it’s a lot to handle. But when he arrives he realizes that he’s in way over his head. With certain forces lurking in the ether, demented figures after him and ancient gods in the fray, Nasir’s world is turned upside down. Anyone who is a fan of Rick Riordan or Neil Gaiman will enjoy this spin on on age-old story. Delve into the world of the Yoruba and learn about African history in a way that you wouldn’t expect.

Title: A Hidden Message (The Forgotten Tales Book 1)

Author: Elijah Shaw

Pages: 85

Genre: Mythology, African history

My review

What a thriller this is!

A Hidden Message by Elijah Shaw is undoubtedly one of the best stories ever crafted in the mythological fiction genre. It is a blend of African mythology, history, culture with contemporary fiction. We can witness how the modern-day scene is quickly transcending into age-old magical African history. The story is crafted in a way to create a perfect connection between these two entirely different worlds. This magical reality is introduced through the life of Nasir Johnson, a freshman from San Diego state university.

He is a guy who survives with his unique charm and wit. At first, his story seems like anything but ordinary. But then a quick surprise hit hard Nasir’s life. He is suddenly manipulated by some strangers to take part in a quest to unravel his destiny. He realizes that he is not what he thought of. This newfound excitement and knowledge led him eventually to assume his role in the age-old war for power and supremacy.

What makes this tale apart from others is its take on African mythology. It is one of the less explored areas in fiction. But this tale proves that it is more exciting than any of its counterparts. The credit surely goes to the author. He carefully crafted a good story out of this conflict around world mythology. I admire his storytelling skills so much because the story never loses its excitement and thrill. The humorous take on every issue enabled a smooth flow of the story.

I really liked the characterization, especially of the protagonist. His quick wit and light-heartedness along with firm determination sets him apart as a character.

Honestly, I think that this story ended too quickly. Because it has much more potential and it ended in this absolute possibility. I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Purchase here: Amazon.com Amazon.in

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Thriller

Mother of Machines: Sanaa (Mother of Machines, #1) by Tishaun Dawson| Review

When long-range telescopes spot intelligent machine structures on an intercept course with Earth, world governments are thrown into a panic. Drafting hundreds of thousands of humanity’s best and brightest, they assemble an army to combat the impending invasion before it reaches earth. Enlisted on this interplanetary mission is Sanaa, a female mechanic who reluctantly leaves her husband Ade to fight to save their world.

But when the ship is torn apart by the machines on approach, and her escape pod crash-lands on a neighboring planet, Sanaa soon discovers that she’s on her own. Guided by nothing more than the encouraging thoughts of her husband, Sanaa searches for a way off the hostile world to rejoin the fight. With time running out, she comes to a terrible realization – one which could change the course of the entire war.

Armed with the truth about the machines and their alien commanders, Sanaa takes matters into her own hands to try and stop the invasion… if she can stay alive long enough.

Title:Mother of Machines: Sanaa (Mother of Machines, #1)

Author: Tishaun Dawson

Pages: 66

My review

Mother of Machines: Sanaa (Book 1) is a perfectly crafted sci-fi thriller. The story captured my attention instantly and kept me at the edge of my seat until the end. It is a wonderful mixture of technology, science fiction, and thriller. But I must say this is not a typical sci-fi story. Because I thought that this story will be a predictable one with the usual pattern in the beginning. But it completely blew away my preconception at the end.

One of the unique features of this thriller is its strong female protagonist. She transforms throughout the story. Her weak points gradually fade away and she rises to become the “mother of machines” at the end. She finds her courage and voice. That heroism deserves huge praise.

Another strong point of this book is its narration. The author doesn’t reveal too much background details on any of the characters. Thus creates lots of room for imagination. This also invites sudden twists and turns which lands us in a whole new another level of story. Also, the fast-paced narration was quite satisfying for me because it helped me to explore the story much faster.

Book 1 of the Mother of Machines series ends in a cliffhanger. I loved the climax and looking forward to reading the next one.

Purchase links

Paperback https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Machines-Sanaa-Tishaun-Dawson/dp/
B08N1GN627
Apple Books https://books.apple.com/us/book/mother-of-machines-sanaa/id1540134900
Kindle https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Machines-Sanaa-Tishaun-Dawson-ebook/
dp/B08MZ6HDSC

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Memoirs, Self-Help

Conquer Your Inner Demons: The Ultimate Guide to Better Mental Health by Craig Marchant| Review

The figures are alarming.

Mental illness affects more and more people every year. It affects those who are rich and famous, those who are struggling to make ends meet, and everyone in between. It does not discriminate.

It can last just a few months or your entire life.

As a person who has suffered from depression, anxiety, and schizoaffective disorder for the majority of his life, Craig Marchant invites you along on his life journey to experience for yourself the ups and downs of living with mental illness.

Laugh with Craig as he shares some of his humorous antics, possibly shed a tear at some of his sadder moments and enjoy the sheer exhilaration of Craig’s recount of completing the Inca Trail.

This must-read book is not only the story of one man’s life journey, but also has a practical section where Craig shares what he believes are the most critical elements when confronted with a mental illness.

These steps will help you navigate the world of mental illness, with the hope that you or a loved one who suffers from mental illness can find a way out of the darkness.

Be under no illusion; the road to recovery is often long and perilous. This book shows you can do this, and no matter how hard it gets, those of us who have undertaken our journey before you – are always with you and have your back.

Conquer Your Inner Demons and take back what is rightfully yours; Your Life!

Title: Conquer Your Inner Demons: The Ultimate Guide to Better Mental Health by

Author: Craig Marchant

Pages: 164

My review

Mental illness is always an underrated and neglected issue. Undiagnosed health problems often lead us to catastrophic aftereffects let alone mental health issues. ‘Conquer Your Inner Demons’ is an attempt to bring light into this less explored problems. Since we are going through a global pandemic that had its clutches on every corner of our life, this guide has far more meaning than it appears.

Mental health has been a very difficult challenge in this post-COVID era, and I found this book a helpful guide in this matter. The author has narrated his journey from undiagnosed mental illness to getting it under control at the end. The book is divided into two parts. The first section is the personal narrative of the author’s life and the second part is all about diagnosing mental illness, busting myths, breaking stigma, and giving much-needed confidence to the survivors. This second part is written in a way that speaks directly to your mind. Every chapter in this section addresses popular misconceptions, insights from the author’s experience, and an action plan to manage various issues. The author even talked about his symptoms and experiences with schizoaffective disease. This needs a lot of courage and a genuine intention to help others who are suffering in similar situations.

His voice is unadulterated, and this pure honesty made me to stick to this book from beginning to end. He genuinely wants to bring a change in this world by helping people. By shedding light on this crucial matter, he has overcome all his inner demons and let the world know how he done it.

Ignorance is the biggest enemy we have to handle. Through the right knowledge and proper self-education, we can handle our demons very easily. This is a proper guide to that path. Loved this book to the core.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Thriller

The Quest for Asian Sin by Monty Lemley | Review

In life, even daily decisions can result in unintended consequences. Sara Jones, a single mother of two and owner of a luxurious estate, left for a routine run along her beachfront property. When she didn’t return, her daughter contacted the Wayfarer Police. A mysterious phone call to the police during the course of their investigation stated that Sara had decided to join a friend on his yacht. Case closed.

When Jack Conner, retired sheriff’s lieutenant from Colorado vacationing in San Diego, picks up a week-old newspaper, he reads a simple two-paragraph story about a retired porn star named Asian Sin who disappeared. With time on his hands and a secret in his past, Jack decides to start his own investigation into the case of the missing Asian Sin. Thus begins the quest for a woman who is more than what she appears by a man who is haunted by an event that occurred more than thirty years earlier.

Title: The Quest for Asian Sin

Author: Monty Lemley

Pages: 322

My review

The Quest for Asian Sin is a perfectly written crime thriller. Crime thrillers always attracted my gaze. They offer mysteries, action, and often larger insights. This novel falls into this category. Not a typical drama but more like a spiritual life insight journey. I really liked this twist which makes this thriller stand out.

The story follows Jack Conner, a retired Sheriff and now a private investigator. A local news about a missing porn star, named Asian Sin caught his attention while he was on a vacation in San Diego. With no apparent reason for taking this investigation, Jack was rather driven into this because of his strange past. But when he dives deep into this crime, it unfolded beyond his expectations. The missing incident has appeared to us a small cover-up story in the beginning but it has more layers than it seems to be. This long journey with many unbelievable twists ultimately bought him a new life. Thus closing a circle.

This is a very well written and structured investigation drama. The author often dragged us to deadends which frequently arise one question-what’s next? Then a new dimension of the story is introduced which directed us to a new set of characters and behaviours. From the beginning of the investigation, suspicion is looming over every character Jack meets. They all have an arc of deception and mystery. This makes the story even more interesting. I was on the edge of my seat while reading. The story was very captivating and engaging. It easily grabbed my attention and never let it go.

The smooth flowing narration is a plus point. The protagonist is introduced with a good background. The author stays with him until his life changed for good. It turns to be a feel-good story at the end. I really liked this change and climax.

In a nutshell this is undoubtedly a must-read for all crime thriller fans.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Memoirs, non-fiction, Young-Adult

The Guilt Is Alive by Hemalatha Gnanasekar | Review

Long ago, when life began, our species survived by reacting instantly to the threats. The ancient humans who stopped to smell the roses became easy targets for predators. Today, the predators are mostly gone, but we are still so primed to pay attention to bad news and tend to ignore the good things happening around us. Sivadoss, my father belonged to this very category. He was a grumbler and kept complaining constantly about one thing or the other. He failed to count his blessings and would rather count his problems. He was blessed with five children, three sons and two daughters and I happen to be the eldest of them. Being his loving daughter, I would make an all out effort to solve all his problems, whatever it be. However, father would take the progress for granted and find a new cause for alarm. After his retirement, when he was finding it difficult to make both ends meet, he took a drastic decision in his life. He wanted the eldest of his three sons Sampathkumar to go abroad for a job and support him financially. When he divulged this fact to me, I set about the task in good earnest and wished to fulfill his desire. My brother on the other hand was a man of temper. First, he expressed his disinterest in leaving the family and second he was not willing to pay through his nose to the international recruiting agencies as bribes to get a job. With my prayers, I succeeded in changing his mind. Very soon, he also got a job offer in Jamaica. It was from an Indian, Narayanan, settled in Jamaica. He did not charge any recruitment fee and was also willing to pay for his air-tickets. On reaching Jamaica, my brother realized that he had been duped. He was not given the promised job. He had a tiff with his boss and left the company. Suddenly he finds himself on the streets, penniless. I was gripped with an acute feeling of guilt, for it was me, who had coaxed him to accept the job and leave the country. Shocked beyond belief at the plight my brother had landed himself, I now felt that it was my responsibility to bring him back to India. The letter was the only means of communication then and with less access to phones, it took me nine long years to achieve this goal.

Title: The Guilt Is Alive

Author: Hemalatha Gnanasekar

Pages: 196

My review

The Guilt is Alive is a testimony of siblings bond. More than a memoir, this is an exact reflection of a middle-class Indian family. Hemalatha who is the eldest of five children in the family is bound with responsibilities from her birth. Her parents had special care and love for her. But they all came with a price. The parents have high expectations and children are bound to fulfil them, even if it costs their life. This pushed her to interfere in the lives of her brother to meet their father’s wishes. But it does not turns out well and become a source of guilt for her even today. This memoir is heart touching revisit to those days.

Hemalatha’s story is an accurate portrayal of a family. Her memories brings many laughs and tears at times. She has carried this memoir without losing its emotional intensity from beginning to end.

The struggle for money is real. Every penny counts and it is essential for the survival. Besides all these chaos, only one emotion that unites them is love. We can feel the connection and love between the characters throughout the story. This emotional narration is the backbone of the story.

This memoir is a living acknowledgement of sibling relationship. Although the author still hasn’t forgiven herself for interfering to the decisions of her brother’s life, I found one superior connection in their story. No matter how hard is their circumstances, they both are capable to turn things around with their hard work. They quickly get out of the after-effects of every bad decisions through hard work. They never sacrificed their mutual love for them.

The whole book is edited accurately to comply with the US standards. The thorough editing by two different editors reflects in the story. This ensures a smooth flow and connects all the events in the memoir well.

In a nutshell, this is a very good memoir sliced out from the real-life.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, historical fiction, Thriller

Oath: A Black Diamond Novel by Poppy Kuroki | Review

“Only through death may I leave the Black Diamond’s side…”

Tired of scraping for food in her war-torn homeland, Colette sneaks aboard a ship to Ranigh, the prosperous Empire capital, to seek her fortune. When she’s caught stealing, she is forced to pledge an Oath to a life of assassinhood.

When she’s bid to kill someone she cares for, what will Colette choose?

Obedience or love?

Title: Oath: A Black Diamond Novel

Author: Poppy Kuroki

Pages:

My review

Oath: A Black diamond novel by Poppy Kuroki is a dark fantasy-themed story. The plot is revolving around the strong female protagonist, Colette. This is her journey for survival and a better life. The whole story is narrated in a very unique manner. Whenever Colette’s journey hit a dead end, the plot is twisted and she unwillingly lands on entirely different circumstances. Her helplessness in these situations was heartbreaking. Hope is the only thing that gives her the strength to overcome these situations. She undergoes many transformations throughout the story. They all are for survival. But she remains true to her character. The climax underlines her character and it was satisfying from a reader’s point of view.

Strong female characters are one of the unique features of Ms Kuroki’s book. Another recurring theme I found was the sisterhood. The depth of human relationships is tested in her novels. She delves into the deepest human emotions and mold her characters with a touch of charisma. These characters are relatable and realistic. The portrayal of hunger was raw and convincing. No matter how the world progress, greed, and war remain so is poverty.

These strong themes are projected with clarity in the story. The female protagonist in the world ruled by females is a strong perspective. People bend rules for their advantages. Surviving in this world is difficult. But one must overcome every difficulty to realize our true character and destiny.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, non-fiction, Self-Help

Captain You: a course in Emotional Self-Reliance by Luca Bosurgi | Review

Clarity, self-reliance, happiness, high-performance. The Bosurgi Mind Fitness method offered in this book, Captain You – A Course to Emotional Self-Reliance, combines exclusive knowledge, exercises, takeaways, and tips with 21 Bosurgi Mind Fitness™ Virtual Reality sessions (included with this book) to help you train, clear, and optimize your mind, removing unnecessary emotional blockages. This is obtained by establishing your natural self-leadership and self-reliance, resetting obsolete emotional programming and imbalances, terminating Adult Emotional Dependency (AED), and improving emotions, thoughts, and feelings management. The process will help you clear associated mental struggles and byproducts, such as anxiety, fear, low confidence, overwhelm, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and procrastination. Most importantly, it will free misused brainpower, which can be reinvested into confidence, high performance, and happiness.A Bosurgi Mind Fitness™ Virtual Reality 20-session Emotional Self-Reliance course, for mobile iPhone/Android app or Oculus Quest (100% unlocked), included with this book. *VR goggles not included

Title: Captain You: a course in Emotional Self-Reliance

Author: Luca Bosurgi

Pages: 120

My review

Our mind controls every thought, actions and our wellbeing. A healthy mind is essential for happiness. One step further, if you need a fit mind, this is the book you are looking for. How to achieve fitness for our mind? obviously, not by controlling it, because it will never work. We have to understand the functioning of our mind. How it works, how it controls our actions, how it changes etc. This book is a fine guide for this process.

One of my best takeaways from this book is, knowledge on adult emotional dependency. No matter how carefully I manage my mind and actions, I find myself in a break down once in a while. In those moments I rely on others for comfort. This dependency costs me way more than I admit. Emotional self-reliance is the only way out from this condition. I learned to eliminate this issue from this book. It was essential and it is the way forward.

Through self-love and self-parenting, the author connects our mind with the body. Before reading this book, I treat both of them as one. But it is possible to separate them and reconnect them whenever you want. The mind management techniques was an eye-opener for me. The knowledge that has poured through this book is unmatchable.

I can summarize this as a whole new level of wisdom.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, non-fiction, Self-Help

How to Improve Study Habits by Christine Reidhead | Review

For students 13 through college graduation, Christine Reidhead’s guide to building study skills is an extremely important book for those who want to secure their future through good grades. Too many students’ grades are falling, especially in a time when regular classrooms cannot fully open. Parents everywhere are at a loss regarding what to do with their responsibilities in the face of the increasing downturn in their children’s grades. It seems as though, with the advent of social media, the attention of a lot of students has been shifted from their books to their smartphones or computers. Apart from social media, blame has also been put on a decline in the interest of students regarding education in general. Students, at the moment, do not have the motivation or zeal, as it seems, to even study. Good study habits, or skills, are solutions to the problems experienced by students. This has been true for a long time, but the world is changing rapidly, which also means that the tools employed during study have to be changed in order to keep up. This is especially true as a result of the covid-19 pandemic that has forced students to study and learn from home rather than in the classroom. E-Learning, or online learning, can be effective, but only if the student has the discipline and drive to succeed using the tools and materials they are provided by teachers. Without strong study skills the student will fall behind in the classroom. Online the failure to develop good study skills can be devastating, leading to an inability to achieve the success in life the student could otherwise achieve. This excellent guide walks students through skills and habits which a student, or a person, employs while studying in order to make the most out of the experience. The kind of skills employed by a person, whether good or bad, determines how successful they will be in the process of learning, and Reidhead shows how to understand study skills, discover what kind of learner you are, develop great study skills, avoid bad study habits, identify the best places to study, and how to keep up with Online Learning during the current ovid-19 pandemic. It also helps parents and students to identify when certain students are studying excessively, harming the effectiveness of their studying. This is a must book for students who want good grades. Both a guide and a self-help book, it can help any student of any age, middle school through graduate school, succeed in their classes whether they are held in a classroom or online.

Title: How to Improve Study Habits

Author: Christine Reidhead

My review

This pandemic has affected our lives in unprecedented ways. Schools and colleges have been closed and online lecturing become new normal. But this also comes with many drawbacks. We are now dragged more and more into the internet and social media. This affects our attention span. The method of teaching was not changed, only the medium was changed. The transition from classroom to virtual learning was not smooth and this created numerous problems. Falling behind grades are not acceptable. This quick guide devise a perfect plan to overcome these problems.

It does not offer any shortcuts. In fact, the author herself specifies that success does not have any shortcuts neither the learning. What we can do is to build a discipline by understanding our uniqueness.

Learning how to learn is an integral part of this transformation. The author focuses on this part from the beginning itself. It also has a worksheet where we can assess ourselves and know where we stand. The next part is developing the right study skills. One important feature of this book is, the author has included a chapter about excessive studying and its adverse effects. This chapter is unique and essential. This helps us not to fall into that trap.

The last chapter discusses about online learning. I found this one most useful. Because I was struggling to keep up with online learning for some time. Every concept is explained with the utmost clarity. They are also illustrated through examples for better understanding. I loved this approach from the author. Also, there is a bonus planner at the end.

In a nutshell, this is quite a useful and handy guide for all students and parents.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Young-Adult

Courage Caroline: A Romance Novel by Heather Nadine Lenz | Review

One act of courage can begin to change your life in more ways than you can imagine.

Caroline is determined to live her dream of building a profitable branding business, even if it means still living with her Grandma. But investing all her time into building her business means she’s lost contact with the outside world- except the owners of the local cafe where she picks up her morning coffee.

In exchange for a branding package, Caroline agrees to accept a lifetime of free coffee and pastries from Annie and Dan. So what if she doesn’t need the extra padding to her hips? Never in a million years did she think helping Annie would lead her to Jolan. When Jolan invites Caroline to yoga class, she can’t say no. So what if she’s shy, feels she looks terrible in yoga pants, and has never done yoga before?

She can figure this out, right?

Jolan is everything Caroline doesn’t think she deserves, but his unexpected insecurities, sweet nature, and warm laugh only make her want to get closer. Then comes the chance of a lifetime: Jolan invites her to go to New York City with him.

New York City. Perfect guy. A growing business. With everything beginning to go so right, what could go wrong? Caroline is about to find out.

Title: Courage Caroline: A Romance Novel

Author: Heather Nadine Lenz

Pages: 266

My review

Courage Caroline is a well-crafted romance novel. This is a very interesting story narrated in an exceptional style. The whole story is focused on the journey of Caroline. She runs a successful personal branding business and determined to expand it beyond heights. Her quiet life is quickly changed by the introduction of Jolan. Her life is changing. But she can’t escape the problems that bought along with these new relationships.

What I really loved about this story is its deep essay on strength of relationships. We meet many people in our life. Some may stay, some may leave. But those who stay will carve a deep bond in our hearts. The emotions developed in these relationships have the potential to change our lives forever. This depth is captured without losing its rawness or intensity. It is portrayed in a very realistic manner. You can spot these characters in your own life.

Though this is primarily a romance novel, it also touches on many contemporary issues, especially regarding women. The 21st century has bought changes in the thoughts and encouraged women to be independent not only financially but also emotionally. Their aspirations only come true if they dare to face them. Caroline is a role model in this world. She faces her fears with determination and confidence. She spoke the language of independence. We can witness her transformation throughout the story. Her life comes into a full circle at the end.

Overall, the author has narrated a beautiful slice of story filled with emotions and inspiration.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Poems, poetry

At War with Stars by R.R. Noall |Review

Along life’s path, there are so many unanswered questions. Poet R.R. Noall explores self-discovery, sense of place, and identity in her third poetry collection, At War with Stars. Are you seeking answers? Are you finding them too? This poetry collection was written for you.

Title: At War with Stars

Author: R.R. Noall

Pages:104

My review

At war with Stars is a deep dive into the soul in search of answers. The questions which are engulfing the void inside our mind is broken into pieces. Each piece of them is moulded into poems reflecting this quest. They are surprisingly original and thought-provoking.

These poems drag us from our comfort zone and suddenly throw us into a rollercoaster of emotions. This is the journey of exploring the highs and lows of life and the eternal existential crisis. There is no middle ground. The suffering is real. The unpolished edges of these words will scratch our mind. This is an in-depth essay unravelling through complex human emotions.

They carry very deep underlying meaning and not easy to comprehend. You cannot skim through them. Because in every repeated reading, it opens a whole new level of understanding. The author has beautifully weaved words to give this inherent quality.

One of the striking features of these poems are, they are straight from the heart. They bears the scars and colour of pain. They project an unadulterated voice and waiting for the reader to explore it.

Purchase here: Amazon.com