Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Thriller

Craving Alaska, how to savor the last frontier by Day Pesh Melba | Book review

Daphne G. Forest is bold, brisk, and as barbed as the 1940s movie star she resembles. Mother Miriam Bliss is a flamboyant figment of her imagination, a sort of whimsical vindication for an editor who confused Daphne with facts, which she knows (for a fact) only tend to exist. When Daphne’s fictitious commune of blasphemous gourmet wilderness nuns unexpectedly create a national stir, Daphne goes on the lam in Alaska, a frontier big enough for Italy and France to hide in. She meets Jason, a gold seeker, who introduces her to the native Gwich’in tribe in the Far North. Tribal leader Rachel King, who is fighting an uphill battle against Big Oil, stirs Daphne’s dormant sense of right and wrong and lands her on a whole new trajectory. That trajectory is about to collide with that of a gay commune in San Francisco, who have fallen hard and fast for Mother Miriam. They decide she and her wild sisters must materialize. What is real, what is magical, what is realistic magic and magical realism? The answers and more questions are found in the mythic and monumental proportions of the Great Land, Alyeska.

Title: Craving Alaska, how to savor the last frontier

Author: Day Pesh Melba

Pages: 320

My review

A brilliant, bold, unusual story immersed in magical realism. This is a rare combination of art that will take you to the next level of confusion and self-awareness. The writing style is unique. The author never attempts to create an empathy between the characters and the readers. Rather, the story is narrated from an outsider’s perspective, often slipping into satirical moments.

The story is very distinctive and it is presented without losing its innate charmingness. Daphne was indeed seeking a refuge in Alaska. Because she is someone who is torn between her natural rebellious nature and calm, principled outside demeanor. Her true expressions are behind this mask. In Alaska, the eternal wilderness evokes her spirit. She understands her true aspirations. The dilemma of choosing right and wrong is vested in one’s mind. This confusion brings out our true character. But the true craft of this story begins after that. How the author has connected this course to the life of gay commune in San Fransisco is the crux of this novel. This is like a non-ending dilemma that keeps unwinding.

I know why the author has chosen Alaska to tell this story. Only the wilderness of Alaska can match the magical realism in this story. The background supplements the thread in every way.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Thriller

Perdition: Book one The Devil Wore a Brown Suit Series by Amanda Arndt | Review

Perdition and her Brother Damnation were born to serve the garden of Eden. As babies they are hidden in the underworld. When Daniel finds out his mother is still alive he escapes from the underworld to destroy the garden. Perdition follows after escaping her own personal hell. She is lost. She has no memories of how she got out or her personal hell. Book one of the devil wore a brown suit series is a look inside Perdition as she navigates topside trying to find out who she is.

Title: Perdition: Book one The Devil Wore a Brown Suit Series

Author: Amanda Arndt

Pages: 113

My review

Perdition: Book one The Devil Wore a Brown Suit series is a fantasy thriller crafted between the worlds above and below. Perdition and Damnation, the twin children of Venus and Lucifer are destined to serve the garden of Eden. But their parents wasn’t ready to give up their children to a life with no free will. Lucifer fled to the Underworld with the twins. Venus was trapped in the Garden after losing the fight with mighty Gabriel. Everyone in the underworld believed that Venus was dead. After many years, Damnation came to know that his mother is alive. He escaped the Underworld leaving behind his sister, perdition in the void. Perdition eventually got out of her personal hell but came to know that she is now in the topside. She has no memory of how she got out. She is approached by some unholy descendants. But soon she came to know that a war is imminent. What will be her destiny? Does she able to save the world?

The story is all about the transformation of Perdition. She was unaware of her capabilities. When she was tossed to the topside without any aid, she started to uncover her unique abilities. She was clueless in the beginning. But by the end of this book, we can witness a powerful celestial being, with mighty powers and determination. Her life is not bound to the darkness of the underworld. She belongs to the topside. This is her journey to self-discovery.

The story is fast-paced, leaving little space for any emotional attachments. New characters and situations are introduced in every chapter, which drastically changes the course of the entire story. Overall, this was a unique fantasy thriller read.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Thriller

The Amazon Legacy: Gods & Queens by Zenay Bekele Ben-Yochanan | Book review

An embittered wager between Zeus and Hera results in the banishment of the most powerful Amazon leader, Queen Elektra. Sent to Hades, she leaves behind the Golden Girdle, holder of mysteries and granter of the gift of immortality to its rightful owner. In Elektra’s absence, two fierce warriors rise. Teigra-a lone wolf who has suffered a life of unspeakable brutality as a slave. Forced to earn her living as a cage fighter, she endures by way of her cunning wit, quick reflexes, and lethal strikes. As a hired assassin, loyal only to the highest bidder, a chance encounter with the Girdle reframes her entire destiny. Thea-raised and trained as a Sondra. The elite warriors of the Amazon tribe and held in the highest esteem among their people, the Sondra’s’ mission is to eliminate any outside threat. But a new directive takes shape for Thea when a seer repositions her path toward finding the legendary Golden Girdle. The battle to recover the Girdle pits warrior against warrior, both unaware of each other’s existence until they are sent on a perilous quest with impossibly high stakes. In this cruel and bloody journey set deep in an ancient world of slavery, torture, and clashing kingdoms, our fated warriors fight for their core beliefs and survival. On opposite sides of a grand, savage battle, each woman is driven to dominate the other by a shared prophecy and an instinctual force to outlive and outlast.

Title: The Amazon Legacy: Gods & Queens

Author: Zenay Bekele Ben-Yochanan

Pages: 362

My review

The Amazon Legacy: Gods & Queens is a mystery thriller inspired by Greek mythology. The Greek gods are no stranger to the self-consuming ego and waging war for domination over another. But what will happen if they decide to extend their wagers by involving mortal humans? Can they live up to the expectations of God? What will be the price to pay if they couldn’t? This story is crafted around this curiosity.

From the beginning itself, I was curious to learn three things, what caused the downfall of Elektra, what is the relation between Thea and Teigra, and who will get the Golden girdle. One after another, these questions kept me hooked to the story from beginning to the end. The story is narrated smoothly, connecting the answers to the raising questions. It is one of the best thrillers I have ever read, in this sense. Even at the end, the author has opened another dimension of this fascinating story to keep the readers guessing. The idea left behind in the end has immense potential to develop into an outstanding sequel.

Throughout the story, I felt a bag of emotions. It was a rollercoaster ride through emotions like ego, domination, courage, helplessness, revenge, greed, love, independence, and freedom.

Overall, this was a beautiful story indeed.

Rating:5/5

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

A Word to the Eyes by Sudio Sudarsan | Book review

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a calligram is worth a million. A Word to the Eyes is a revolutionary mnemonic tool used to boost vocabulary development and retention. Enhance your lexicon starting with the visuals within, which serve as an introduction to thousands of associated words and meanings.

Title: A Word to the Eyes by

Author: Sudio Sudarsan

Pages: 245

My review

Calligrams is a tool that has the potential to revolutionize the learning process. Words are the basic element of every language. Mastering in the pronunciation, meaning and proper usage of words is crucial for effective language learning. But our present-day techniques are somewhat outdated. We need a new tool which meets the demands. Calligrams is an amalgamation of visual arts and traditional learning techniques. This book explores this possibility.

It is arranged just like a dictionary. Each word is drawn in a unique way which appeals to the learner and stimulates the retention. This helps in better recalling of the meaning. Along with this, the author shows us how to use this word in a sentence correctly, with proper pronunciation.

This book is helpful for anyone who wants to upgrade their vocabulary skills regardless of age. But I think that this tool will help children more than adults because they are the ones who are always struggling in the early years of education. Also, visual arts are more appealing to them than others. This way can also boost creativity and imagination in children.

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

Aging: The Process of Aging Well and Secrets of Longevity by Alessia Cucca | Book review

Learn how to age well mentally and physically
Find out the secrets of longevity and why in the isle of Sardinia, one of the Blue Zones, there are a high numbers of centenarians.
Aging is inevitable, but how you approach life, and your potential longevity will matter. You can become a centenarian if you wish, by following the behaviours of those who have made it to one hundred or even beyond. Of course, your genetics do play a role too, about twenty percent according to the scientists. You can work with your genes and attempt to learn from
the Blue Zones to combat what may happen or give in to the inevitable.
Plenty of people have come back from cancer. Others have staved off dementia and Alzheimer’s progression, not the disease, but the quickness of the decline the disorder provides.
Follow the nine common denominators to a healthier life:
1. Move Naturally
2. Purpose
3. 80% Rule
4. Down-shift
5. Wine at 5
6. Eating More Plants
7. Loved Ones Come First
8. Belong
9. The Right Tribe
to live a longer and happier life.
This book will help you to do so.

Title: Aging: The Process of Aging Well and Secrets of Longevity

Author: Alessia Cucca

Pages: 26

My review

Aging is inevitable. Only a few people are blessed with longevity. That’s why centenarians are celebrated. Everyone is curious to know their “secrets”. The truth is there is no so-called “secrets”. There is no sure-shot way to achieve longevity. But globally, five places were identified as The Blue Zone which met National Geographic’s demographic study regarding the longest living people. We can find some common traits in their lives. The author is trying to uncover these potential reasons for their longevity, through this book.

This short book is strongly backed by the scientific research in this field. The author draws every conclusion, based on evidence-based results only. Because of this unique feature, I find this book trustworthy.

Aging is not a surface concept. But it is our skin which proves our aging process. Aging affects not only our body but also our mental health. We can slow down our physical aging to a certain extent by adopting a better lifestyle. But deterioration of mental health over time, demands our special attention. I think taking care of mental health should be a priority over others. Because it affects everything. This book was an eye-opener for me in this subject.

The best way to avoid fear is to face it courageously. All of us will face aging someday. What matters at the end is, did we age with grace or simply let it happen in its way.

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

The Barkuu: Dawn of a species by Lauren Wright | Book review

A mysterious cloud appears in space and then envelopes the planet for a day; to avoid cataclysm, humanity digs in. When they emerge, they find the air scrubbed clean, and massive metallic objects strategically placed throughout the world.

A new society forms from the ashes, will humankind survive?

Title: The Barkuu: Dawn of a species

Author: Lauren Wright

Pages: 377

My review

What makes the sci-fi thrillers exceptional in the world of literature is its height of creativity. It is an expression of ones own imagination through words. When we are reading them, we are floating inside their creativity. The Barkuu: Dawn of a species is one of its kind story, that not only keeps you at the edge of the seat all the time but also keeps you thinking about the story over and over.

Many sci-fi thrillers are written on the concept of human invasion on other planets. They are very interesting to read because we love the feeling of exploration and expanding to unknown planets. But what if the roles are reversed. What if a superior species came to Earth and started to wipe out our population in billions? This is a horrific thought even to imagine. Through this story, we can experience this fear, competition for survival, and gradual vanishing of humanity. The aliens are so powerful and advanced which leaves you only one choice-RUN. Is this the apocalypse? Will humanity can survive this unforeseen catastrophe?

Overall, the plot is an excellent creation. There are too many characters in the story. Each of them is created to play a specific part. Initially, it was too difficult for me to connect the characters with the storyline. But this will ease when the story progresses. Throughout the story, the author reminds us of the destruction we have done to this planet, our very own home. There will be a payback time. This story is a reminder for it.

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

Raising Independent Kiddos by Michele Bayer | Book review

Parenting is hard. It’s a never-ending series of particular problems that require ambiguous solutions. And the frustrating truth is that the specifics of your child’s situation aren’t in the literature. Believe me. I’ve been looking for it for two decades.

I’m a mother to four beautiful kids. When my second child was born with a disability, it took a lot of trial and error (and time hiding in the closet) before I realized the importance of holding myself back, almost sitting on my hands, so my kids could learn to think about where they had made mistakes, reflect on what they needed to change. “Let them do it themselves,” became our family mantra.

This book isn’t about the importance of one parenting style over another. It doesn’t tell you how important it is to hug your child, and it won’t help you minimize tantrums at any age. It’s about microparenting, which is when a parent tries to control every detail, no matter how small, of their child’s life. The point of this book is to help you stop microparenting and start doing something that works faster and better.

Title: Raising Independent Kiddos

Author: Michele Bayer

Pages: 139

My review

We never receive any training to become a parent. Yet most of the population will go through this challenging phase in their adult years. The best thing we can do to counteract ignorance is to learn. Knowledge can undo everything. But this is not a traditional parenting advice book. This book concentrates on one thing- microparenting.

Microparenting is same as the micromanaging. Most of the parents control every small task, every small detail in their child’s day-to-day life. This affects a child’s behavior as well as emotional development in unspeakable volumes. The author draws our attention to this most common practice of parenting through this. Most of today’s generation is affected by microparenting. The long-lasting effects of microparenting causes the development of domineering and unsatisfactory adult relationships in their later lives. We all exhibit the bits of this nature in our everyday life. Undoing this from our life, for the betterment of our children is not an easy task. However, we have to put conscious efforts for this.

The book has an elaborate introduction of microparenting and its effects, in the beginning. Later on, the author introduces a worksheet to test ourselves on the range of microparenting we already have. To minimize and gradually eliminate microparenting, first, we have to understand our child’s needs. They are empty shells. Their overall personality depends on what we try to fill them with, in their early years. Cultivating self-reliance and a sense of responsibility is not a simple task. But it is what they need to excel in their adult life.

The author supplements every step in this process with her life experiences. Her experiments and responses to the unfavorable and favorable results, teach us very practical solutions for every step. This alone makes the book a realistic guide.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Comics, Fiction, Self-Help

Tapping Your Way to a Great Big Smile!: Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping for Little Fingers by Ana Cybela | Book review

A great fun way to inculcate the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping to our little ones daily routine! EFT is a therapeutic practice to cope with stress, anxiety, negative thoughts, and other volatile emotions. Our kids are prone to various external stresses even from a very young age. Bullying, academic works, peer pressures etc may cause them sudden erratic behavior at school and home. They are behaving like this because they don’t know how to deal with these emotions. this will eventually lead them to low self-esteem and confidence in their later years.

It is essential to identify the root cause of their changes in behavior and inculcate sustainable habits in their life from a very young age to overcome issues. This book introduces a very good technique known as tapping for this purpose.

This is written and illustrated through a first-person point of view. It helps our child to connect with the character’s emotions and compare themselves. This enables them to act independently in various difficult situations. Managing stressful situations are painstaking even for adults like us. Practicing EFT with our kids on a day-to-day basis will be a great way to manage our emotional balance too. This will also set an example for our children to look up to and eventually create stronger bonds with us.

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

Affirmations For Money Blueprint: How To Earn $10k Per Month With Proven Affirmations by Ian Seamus Finn| Review

Imagine WRITING FOR 10 MINUTES A DAY… and waking up with a $100, $250, $500 in your bank account just a few days later.
What if there was a way to change your life, without spending 5 years getting really good at your chosen profession…
If there was a shortcut that created a new life and new streams of income for you, would you take it… And REALIZE YOUR DREAMS now?
The shortcut I am referring to is the magic of Affirmations.
To get really good at any one thing takes approximately 10,000 hours or 5 YEARS of full time work 40 hours per week.
Affirmations allow anyone to get really good and make really big changes, and the changes start in weeks, not years.
The absolute simplest way to Create Your Dream Life.

Title: Affirmations For Money Blueprint: How To Earn $10k Per Month With Proven Affirmations

Author: Ian Seamus Finn

Pages: 99

My review

Affirmations For Money Blueprint is a perfect guide for reaching our financial goals. Money solves many problems in life and it is essential for survival. Through this guide, the author mentors us to earn $10k per month. This not an exaggeration. It is very doable. But we can only achieve this target by chiseling one most important skill in our life – sales. We all are selling something in our whole life, our skills, services, or any other products. Learning the art of sales in the right way is the secret formula for high income. This code is cracked through this book.

Communication is the key to excel in sales. For improving this skill, first, we have to set the right affirmations. But affirmations don’t work if we don’t apply the right technique. After explaining this, the author moves on to the core of this skill. One of the best chapters in this book is about the art of persuasion. The author explains the types of people and how to approach them and influence them gradually. This section includes the right arguments and tactics to use and how to confront them successfully in every situation.

Before delving into the art of money-making, the author has also dedicated a section for setting the right mindset. This part is an essential read, not only for making money, but also for our general well being. What makes this book special in the sea of self-help books is it’s easy to read content. All the techniques uncovered in the book are very pragmatic and easy to implement in our day-to-day life.

Overall, this is an all-in-one guide for self-improvement.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, non-fiction

Esoteric Christianity Made Simple by Con Trong Bui | Book review

For many centuries, millions of people who read the Bible consider it to be the word of God. Many readers of the Old Testament and the New Testament believe that God lives in heaven and human beings live on the planet Earth. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” Should we ask “where God had lived before he created heaven”? Had he been homeless, and that was why he had to create heaven?

In the Old Testament, we see humans were required some burnt offerings “of a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire,” and drink offerings. Should we ask, “was God homeless, hungry, and thirsty, and that was why he created heaven, humans, and animals, and required humans to offer burnt animals and drinks”?

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:13-14, “And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.”? What is that “vail” in the reading of the Old Testament? Did Paul also tell us about the New Testament when he wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:6, “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life”? Is there any difference between “the letter” and “the spirit”? Through these verses, should we read the Old Testament and the New Testament as we read a historical book?

Title: Esoteric Christianity Made Simple

Author: Con Trong Bui

Pages: 354

My review

To reach the deepest understanding of faith not only gives a sense of salvation but also takes us to the height of faith. Esoteric Christianity Made Simple by Con Trong Bui is written in a way to create a greater understanding of the Holy Bible by eliminating literal doubts. Human beings are one of the greatest species ever walked on the earth. Only exceptional beings can dominate a planet. Although we are gifted with a creative and highly intelligent brain, when comes to the matter of the faith, we usually follow blindly. Often we neglect the logical questions raised in this subject. The answers always lie within but we never try to understand them. This book tries to bridge that gap.

I think theism and atheism are divided by a narrow gap of logical reasoning. Both ideologies have been fighting for their victory over others for ages. But what I learned by reading this book is everything can be explained logically. We have been reading the Holy Bible in a literal sense in all these years. The author has made clear in this book that the Old and New Testament are not simple historical books. We cannot read them just like other works of human beings. The scriptures were written to mean literally and symbolically at times. But they are not meant to be interpreted and understood literally. If we do, this arise questions. Jesus’s life and works are not symbols, but words about his life and works are. If we read between the lines and interpreted them correctly, everything will become simple.

The author has gone a great extend to eliminate many confusions. One such is the beliefs around “One God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”. This is the spine of Christianity. Yet many believers perceived this wrong. But if we study deeply this concept is very clearly explained in the Holy Bible beyond the scope of any doubt.

The author has done a commendable job by penning down this book. This will help a believer to gain wisdom and for a non-believer, to eliminate wide-spread doubts regarding the concepts of Christianity.