Passerby: Quotes for the Traveler Through Life

Passerby: Quotes for the Traveler Through Life by Gilad Segev
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

‘Being able to belong everywhere by not belonging anywhere.’

Human nature isn't likely to change any time soon. With an ever-expanding menu of shiny objects to distract us and a 24-hour day that stubbornly refuses to grow any longer, the average human attention span continues to dwindle into the microsecond-scale. It’s no wonder that literary inspiration has such a short shelf life!

Passerby: Quotes for the Traveler Through Life by Gilad Segev is a double treat in that the book not only contains beautiful and inspiring picture quotes, it also comes with a free downloadable selection of music. The songs were meditative and peaceful and worked well in conjunction with the book. ‘Coming back to you’ and ‘Me – Passerby’ (with Elisse Samuel) were two of my favorite songs. The artist has one of the most beautiful voices I’ve heard in years.

A very enjoyable indulgence that comes highly recommended and gets a well-deserved five stars from me.

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Karma Effect

Karma Effect by Ruth Dayan Wolfner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A wise, witty and practical read...

Each country has its own set of laws relating to divorce and other family matters. These laws and processes define everything from the waiting periods for divorce to child support payment. Ultimately, the choice for the path you take should be based on your own unique needs, and short term and long-term goals. There is no right way to go about divorce; however, minimizing conflict is a wise decision if there are children involved.

Researching the mechanics of divorce or consulting a divorce attorney can help you make an informed decision about this process and reach as amicable a solution as possible. Having said that, The Karma Effect: A Divorce Lawyer's Diary by Ruth Dayan Wolfner comes into its own as an invaluable resource. ‘This book is a close examination of the institution of marriage and the process of divorce, providing valuable insights that might preserve your marriage—or at the very least, allow you to go through divorce procedures wisely, manage the proceedings effectively, with legal and personal humanness.’

With plenty of real-life stories, sprinkled throughout with humor and emotion, this experienced, wise and intelligent author/ family affairs lawyer teaches us how to recognize what is truly important in life. It’s an excellent book that helps to put things into perspective for those who find themselves in this unfortunate situation. Highly recommended. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

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Budotherapy: Embrace Your Inner Peaceful Warrior while Using Compassion Focused Therapy to Cope with Fear and Pain

Budotherapy by Gabo Weis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As the author states in his introduction: ‘This book addresses people who deal with the sensitive space that exists during the encounter between therapist and client, as well as the encounter within a supervisory relationship. In the same breath, the book deals with the delicate and sometimes fragile meeting space between an educator and his students, between parents and their children, and between spouses.’

Budotherapy by Gabo Weis is a therapeutic approach that focuses on the observation and analysis of the experience of the therapist, the client, and the session itself, from the viewpoint of traditional Japanese martial arts - or what might be called "The Budo.” That concept alone made this one of the most interesting books I’ve read in years.

The therapeutic core of the book comes from Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), a system of psychotherapy developed by Paul Gilbert that integrates techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) along with other concepts. According to Gilbert, "One of its key concerns is to use compassionate mind training to help people develop and work with experiences of inner warmth, safeness and soothing, via compassion and self-compassion."

This book has helped me clarify my thinking, process my feelings, and make better decisions. If you are you ready to stop drifting and design a life you love, this read with help you on your journey. The author has put his heart in the pages of this book and will encourage and give hope to the reader. So many wonderful and courageous people share their experiences through books, and I thank this author for sharing his.

Highly recommended reading and a well-deserved five stars from me. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. Arigatou gozaimasu.

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Six Moments of Silence: Love, Loss, and a Meaningful Life in the Shadow of 9/11

Six Moments of Silence: Love, Loss, and a Meaningful Life in the Shadow of 9/11 by K.T. Morgan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A vivid and compelling read...

Since the path to empowerment is evolutionary, the inner power we gain from daily self-reflection and the spiritual power we cultivate, grants us access to our own personal and spiritual authority.

Six Moments of Silence by K.T. Morgan is a very vivid and compelling read. This eloquently written narrative is the living record of a lady crisscrossed by personal tragedy and the most intimate fibers of her own being. Based on a true story and filled with wisdom and life lessons, this account describes the authors inspiring passage from despair to enlightenment.

People write memoirs to fixate, analyze, share, or rethink past events. This book refers to important and significant moments in the authors life. It’s a heartfelt story that brings the reader face-to-face with important insights about life as she shares her journey with us. Highly recommended reading.

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Don't Fart In The Pool

Don't Fart In The Pool! by Ben Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

To squeeze or not to squeeze… that is the question!

More often than not children relate themselves with the characters of a good story. In such circumstances, reading fiction can help them to get inspiration from the characters. These stories often portray real life implications through anecdotes, and as such makes it easier for them to understand the complex aspects of life. Moreover, reading these stories at regular intervals can actually help them to develop a positive outlook towards life, which eventually proves beneficial for good character development.

Don't Fart In The Pool is another delightful book by Sam Lawrence and Ben Jackson that young children will get a lot of fun out of. I read it with my grand-kids and we laughed out loud while reading it! They loved not only this funny story, but also the amazing illustrations by Tanya Zeinalova. I thought the text and illustrations worked very well together.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘A small mistake could potentially haunt you for years to come, and one little ‘slip’ could be what haunts Stan for the rest of his life! It may have started with an epic taco fiesta to end all taco fiestas but ended with the mother of all disasters for young Stanley. What should have been an uneventful swim at the local swimming pool quickly turned into a world-class environmental disaster!’

Sam and Ben write in a wonderfully simple and imaginative style that will guarantee the attention of young minds. If you ever wanted to bond even more with your children or grandchildren, this would be a lovely story to share with them.

It seems to me that this book was created with a lot of love and joy and it’s clear that the authors really enjoy creating such wonderful stories. Thank you for sharing with us the gift that you have obviously worked so hard to refine. We’ll be looking forward to seeing what’s coming next. A well-deserved five stars from us!

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The Hatch by Michelle Saftich

The Hatch by Michelle Saftich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A gripping sci-fi that will have you on the edge of your seat...

Forty-some years ago my uncle gave me a science fiction anthology. It was a thick red hardback that I read from cover to cover. It inspired a lifelong love of the genre. The stories in that book made me think outside the box. They filled me with awe for the imagination it took to write them. That book still remains in my collection today. The title is OMNIBUS OF SCIENCE FICTION, edited by Groff Conklin, a well-known and prolific editor of the genre. It was published in 1952, the Golden Age of Science Fiction. It’s a substantial volume, 562 pages, with 43 stories divided into sections relating to a common theme. Some stories are fun, some are thought-provoking, and some are adventurous. I love them all.

The Hatch by Michelle Saftich is a brilliantly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves a well-crafted Sci-Fi action and adventure that will enthrall the reader from the start. Skillfully constructed, this exciting and energetic Sci-Fi will have you turning the pages from beginning to end.

I enjoyed the story, character development and dialogue. There were plenty of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s magnetism. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a first-class sci-fi story with perfect pacing.

I’m a big fan of science fiction, so this for me was a phenomenal read. For sci-fi fans looking for an interesting, three-dimensional and stimulating read, this would be a great find. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader.

I’ll be looking forward to reading more from Australian born author, Michelle Saftich in the future. This is a name to watch out for! A well-deserved five stars from me.

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On Wings of Hope: Leading Lily Home

On Wings of Hope: Leading Lily Home by Cynthia Lynch Bischoff PhD
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Create your own reality...

Writing memoirs is a unique way to cherish your past and present with the future in mind. A well-written memoir makes a splendid gift to your upcoming generations and leaves them with a vivid, personal look at your life experiences. The goal of any person should be to, hopefully, create positive memories that last a lifetime. When you recount your life experience to others, it should invoke in you something that stirs the soul and a longing for the bygone days, while instilling a sense of hope for the future.

On Wings of Hope: Leading Lily Home by Cynthia Lynch Bischoff may be somewhat of an enigma to those who don’t relate to the transcendent or to a reality beyond what is perceptible to our senses. Nonetheless, this eloquently written narrative is the living record of a lady crisscrossed by the personal history of a terminally ill young woman (Lily), and the most intimate fibers of her own being.

‘Based on a true story and filled with wisdom and life lessons, this account describes Lily's inspiring passage from despair to enlightenment as a result of Bischoff's unconventional therapy and compelling and inspirational view of the afterlife. Her story, a journey from heartache to peace, demonstrates that the world is illusory and that we create our own reality.’

People write memoirs to fixate, analyze, share, or rethink past events. This book refers to important and significant moments in the authors life. It’s a heartfelt story that brings the reader face-to-face with important insights about life as she shares her understandings about death and the afterlife.

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