My Gratitude list for May 2018

I am late to the party of celebrating 'Gratitude' this time. The reason is valid though :-)

Travel to India:

I was excited about my India trip and I traveled in the last week of May. Planning, shopping, packing, weighing the luggage and managing kids for the long travel - everything has been fun. I took a blogging break and so, couldn't write anything for some time. Meeting the parents and in-laws after 2 years created some guilt in my heart too. I felt like I have missed the family time and affection and now I am afraid that my vacation will end soon even though I have more than a month to spend time with family. I feel that I should visit India every year.

I am very grateful to my close family, friends, and well-wishers whose affection didn't reduce at all due to distance. 

Shopping:

I have never been a fan of shopping but shopping for family members in India is different. Since I don't usually spend hours on shopping, I planned ahead, decided on gifts and completed the task in chunks. I am grateful to my spouse and kids who supported me to make this task easier. 

Meeting close family:

Of course, I have to brag about this. I am on cloud nine to meet my close family. Roaming in the streets of Hyderabad made me remember many happy moments. The love and affection of the family members brought tears too. I am enjoying to the full extent.

 Rest:

I am very grateful that I could take some rest and enjoy my "No cooking " days. I will have my precious more "No-cooking days" in the coming months as well. I am getting a lot of help from my parents too in managing kids. A fun and relaxing family time!

My New Phone:

I got an amazing new phone - Samsung Galaxy S9. This wonderful purple phone is a gift from my husband. I didn't have much time to select a phone but I was 100% convinced that I will like Samsung only. I was using Galaxy S6 so far and I love the camera and the ease of usability. My S9 is looking great with better storage, very good front and rear camera and stylish look. 

Image courtesy: https://bit.ly/2JxE92I

So, that was about my fabulous May. How did May treat you? 

Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

Linking this to #Slimturns3 linky hosted by Zainab and Geethica.

This post is a part of Blog Birthday celebrations contest hosted by Zainab and Geethica

India : Whose country is it anyway? by APS Kumar - Book Spot Light

About the Book:

India's rich diversity, both in its physical and natural aspects, is widely known. India has had a great past with achievements in literature, the arts, medicine and mathematics.



Indians were sea-faring and they spread their influence through their philosophy, religion and military conquest too. But Like a cosmic phenomenon, decline is every civilization is inevitable. Indian civilization too declined.



When a civilization rises, people are driven by idealism; when people are possessed of greed, it declines and falls.



Indians today are possessed of excessive, abominable, putrefying greed.



The author tells it all in an honest, engaging manner. He holds a mirror unto ourselves.

Book Link:

Amazon

About the Author:

I hail from a middle class family. Son of a soldier, I did my studies in Bengaluru obtaining a Bachelor’s degree (from St. Joseph’s College) in Science and then in Law from a different college. 

Though not very serious about studies, I took to books with keen interest in social sciences history in particular, literature and natural sciences (in general) and current affairs. I am drawn wittingly towards that abstract thinking – that is, philosophy.

Worked in a Government-owned Insurance Company - United India Insurance Co Ltd - as a Salesman (designated as Development Officer) and retired voluntarily a decade ago.

I spend time reading and writing, travelling both within the country and outside. I ardently believe in community work; I concentrate on education of children, obviously from poor background.  

Nationalism – i.e. love of fellow citizens - is my creed. I am passionate about friendships, am devoid of all other -isms.

Contact the author via eMail

Until next time,

Raging Falcon by Stephen C Perkins - Book Spot Light

Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Date Published: Sept. 2016

Publisher: Star Born Publishing LLC

He helped build an evil world.

He betrayed his only son.

But now in another life where nothing is what it seems and against great odds, he has a chance to make things right.

In the 21st century, wars are won in the mind rather than on battlefields.

One man - a sorcerer disguised as solder - will forever alter American history with black magic!

Major Stacey Truman Keogh is a specialist in psychological operations and a terrorist disguised in military uniform. Both ambitious and evil, he will do anything to further his interests whether sacrificing the operatives under his command, his family and even his only son. In the end, will he discover spiritual redemption and use his immense magical powers in the service of good? Can a grand technological miracle save the son he betrayed, so long ago?

About the Author

In just his first year as an independent author, Massachusetts native Stephen Perkins' thrilling, entertaining, imaginative, thought provoking and sometimes controversial novels Sorcerers' Dynasty, Raging Falcon, American Siren and Escape to Death have fast gained a loyal and rabid audience. While enjoying the books, be sure to check out Newsspellcom.org for a unique perspective on the news of the world one shall not surely discover anywhere else! Or, stop by on Twitter (Twitter.com@RAGEOFWORDS)

Contact Links

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Promo Link

Purchase Links

Amazon

B&N

Until next time,

Sleep State Interrupt by T C Weber - Book Spot Light

Science Fiction (Cyberpunk) / Thriller

Date Published: September 1, 2016

Publisher: See Sharp Press

Awards: 2017 Compton Crook Finalist for best first science fiction novel!

In Sleep State Interrupt, a giant media corporation has taken over the Internet, created an addictive virtual reality called BetterWorld, and controls nearly all information. Politicians do their bidding and a brainwashed humanity serves a privileged few.

Waylee Freid, an unemployed Baltimore journalist with ever-worsening bipolar disorder, is the only hope for a brighter future. She and her countercultural friends bust a notorious teenage hacker out of jail and sneak into a closed presidential fundraiser at the Smithsonian castle, where they hope to record incriminating admissions that will wake up the world. Hunted by Homeland Security, Waylee and her friends must reach a sufficient audience by broadcasting their video during the Super Bowl. But to do so, they'll have to break into one of the most secure facilities ever built.

Read the First Four chapters of Sleep State Interrupt, plus a lot more extras, free at http://savethereefs.wixsite.com/sleepstateinterrupt

About the Author

Ted Weber has pursued writing and music since childhood, and learned filmmaking and screenwriting in college, along with a little bit of physics. Trapped at home during the "Snowmageddon" of 2010, he transformed those interests into novel writing, and has completed four novels and a number of short stories since then. By day, Mr. Weber works as an ecologist for a non-profit organization and has had over twenty scientific papers and book chapters published. He lives in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife Karen. He enjoys traveling and has visited all seven continents.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Blog (publisher’s)

Instagram

YouTube

Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

Google Play

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time,

The Unity Game by Leonora Meriel - Book Spot Light

About the Book:

WHAT IF THE EARTH YOU KNEW WAS JUST THE BEGINNING?

A New York banker is descending into madness. 


A being from an advanced civilization is racing to stay alive. 


A dead man must unlock the secrets of an unknown dimension to save his loved ones. 


From the visions of Socrates in ancient Athens, to the birth of free will aboard a spaceship headed to Earth, The Unity Game tells a story of hope and redemption in a universe more ingenious and surprising than you ever thought possible. 


Metaphysical thriller and interstellar mystery, this is a 'complex, ambitious and thought-provoking novel' from an exciting and original new voice in fiction.


Book Links:

Goodreads * Amazon

Meet the Characters:

The Setting: Earth



New York City. The 1990s. One of the world’s leading investment banks.


The Setting: Space


A distant planet. A dry surface orbited by three red moons and circling a distant sun. An advanced civilization living in underground chambers.


The Setting: Death


An open door. A library. A room of knowledge. A garden of dazzling color. The answers to every question that has ever been asked on Earth.



Meet David


A brilliant scientist and wildly ambitious, David abandoned an academic path to follow the glow of Wall Street money. From a small town in Canada, he is now determined to make the riches he has given up his scientific talents for. He is always on edge, he must prove he is better than the other bankers, he has to win the best deals. However, he is easy pickings for the multi-million dollar bosses who see how they can use a greedy, naïve young man for their own purposes. David falls further into risk, mistakes and desperation, clutching at anything around him as his dreams and world falls apart.



Meet Noe-bouk


Dry dust. Three red moons. A member of one of the most advanced civilizations in the universe, taught to believe that all the answers come naturally from the incontrovertible logic of the greatest good. Now, facing death, Noe-bouk decides to find out if there is something more than what he has been taught. Accepting a place on a space ship, the further he gets from the moons of Home Planet the more he understands that he knows nothing at all…



Meet Alisdair


A respected lawyer. An adoring grandfather. Alisdair collapses outside his law offices in London and finds himself standing beside his unmoving corpse. He feels wonderful! He spots some wide open doors and bounds through them to discover a library, a garden, and his dead wife. All his life he has burned with the questions of the universe: what is the purpose of existence? What is good and evil? How far does the infinite stretch? With an afterworld guide and his wife at his side, his only limits now are to come up with new questions as all of his horizons expand beyond imagination…


Meet Elspeth


Beautiful, young, angry. Apart from her beloved grandfather Alisdair, Elspeth has been let down by everyone in her life. She’s rejected her parents and their easy choices, she sees no meaning in the structures of society. She has always felt lost, and now the death of her grandfather is forcing her to make choices. With some money he has left her, she decides to follow a feeling and go on an adventure.


Meet Socrates


Legendary philosopher, pion of bravery and morality, a figure so strong his ideas and presence pervade the centuries and the dimensions of time and space. Who else would Alisdair call upon in the afterworld to help his granddaughter Elspeth, than the man he has revered his entire life, and whose teachings guided him? Yes, Elspeth can be helped, but she must be brought together with another soul – one who has truly lost their path.

Reviews for The Unity Game

 “A complex, ambitious and thought-provoking novel.” ~ Kirkus Reviews


“Elegantly written, expertly crafted and a moving message. I found this book very hard to put down. Moving and poignant.” ~ Lilly, Amazon US reviewer



“An engrossing, unique, and totally bizarre tale! I could not stop reading it once I started. Such a beautiful take on the afterlife, and its connection to those still living. A unity game, indeed!”~ Brenna, Goodreads reviewer

About the Author:

Leonora Meriel grew up in London and studied literature at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and Queen’s University in Canada. She worked at the United Nations in New York, and then for a multinational law firm.

In 2003 she moved from New York to Kyiv, where she founded and managed Ukraine’s largest Internet company. She studied at Kyiv Mohyla Business School and earned an MBA, which included a study trip around China and Taiwan, and climbing to the top of Hoverla, Ukraine’s highest peak and part of the Carpathian Mountains. She also served as President of the International Women’s Club of Kyiv, a major local charity.

During her years in Ukraine, she learned to speak Ukrainian and Russian, witnessed two revolutions and got to know an extraordinary country at a key period of its development.

In 2008, she decided to return to her dream of being a writer, and to dedicate her career to literature. In 2011, she completed The Woman Behind the Waterfall, set in a village in western Ukraine. While her first novel was with a London agent, Leonora completed her second novel The Unity Game, set in New York City and on a distant planet.

Leonora currently lives in Barcelona and London and has two children. She is working on her third novel.

Contact the Author:

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Until next time,

Daughter of the Sun by Zoe Kalo - A free copy available - Book Spot Light

Daughter of the Sun

~ Cult of the Cat Series Book 1 ~

About the Book:

Title: Daughter of the Sun

Series: Cult of the Cat Series, Book 1

Author: Zoe Kalo

Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy / Paranormal

Word Count: 93,000 words

No. of Pages: 330

Mystery, adventure, a hint of romance, and the delicious sweep of magic...

Sixteen-year-old Trinity was born during a solar eclipse and left at the doorsteps of a convent along with a torn piece of papyrus covered with ancient symbols. Raised by nuns in the English countryside, she leads a quiet life until she’s whisked away to the Island of Cats and a grandmother she never knew. 

But before they can get to know each other, her grandmother dies. All that Trinity has left is a mysterious eye-shaped ring. And a thousand grieving cats. As Trinity tries to solve the enigma of the torn papyrus, she discovers a world of bloody sacrifices and evil curses, and a prophecy that points to her and her new feline abilities. 

Unwilling to believe that any of the Egyptian gods could still be alive, Trinity turns to eighteen-year-old Seth and is instantly pulled into a vortex of sensations that forces her to confront her true self—and a horrifying destiny.

Get Your Copy of this Book. Available for FREE for a LIMITED TIME ONLY! 

About the Author:

Storyteller at heart...


A certified bookworm and ailurophile, Zoe Kalo has always been obsessed with books and reading. The pleasure of writing and sharing her fantasy worlds has remained. Today, Zoe passes her stories to you with lots of mystery, adventure, a hint of romance, and the delicious sweep of magic.



Currently, she balances writing with spending time with her family, taking care of her clowder of cats, and searching for the perfect bottle of pinot noir.



Contact the Author:

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Until next time,

My association with books #FridayReflections

My association with books started around the age when I was studying 7th grade. Books have been my best friends of life from that time. 

The foundation of my interest in reading is given by my Father. He used to maintain a small library at our home in our childhood. He does now too. I remember visiting book fairs and multiple bookstores exploring different books and trying hard to choose the best book to buy. My Father taught me the English grammar, Telugu grammar, introduced me to good literary works in Telugu, crosswords in English etc., in my childhood.  Even now, I love reading magazines, stories, articles about various cultures, traditions etc., But, I never got time to read good books during school days. I was busy with studies and dance classes even during summer holidays. Other than reading children stories in weekly magazines and newspapers, I never had time to read and finish a book at that time. 

That was until my close friend introduced me to Sherlock Holmes series. I borrowed a novel by Arthur Conan Doyle from her and it was so good that I finished it in a few days and my interest in reading just grew exponentially. Even though I was busy with studies and dance till my engineering, I always tried to attend Book fairs with my father and explore old bookstores in Hyderabad whenever possible, buy books and read sometimes. 

When I started working, I got more free time. When I found a local library near our hostel, my joy knew no bounds. I explored a lot of good books, read numerous novels and thus started my blog to share my reviews. So, in one way, my blog is created specifically for book reviews and because of my interest in reading. 

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be some kind of library.” — Jorge Luis Borges

Now, I am very happy to receive review copies from great authors and get a chance to read and review them on my blog. This has been a wonderful journey so far in my reading world and I hope to read many more good books in future and promote them on my blog.

What is your association with books? How did your interest in reading books grow? Do let me know in comments. 

Until next time,

Linking this to #FridayReflections hosted by Corinne and Shalini.

Also, linking this to #ChattyBlogs hosted by Shanaya.

3 Peaks of Happiness by AiR - Book Spot Light

Book Info:

Publisher: AiR
Foundation

ISBN:
9789352814466

Genre:
Non-Fiction / Self Help

Format: Paperback

Pages: 167

Price:
200/-










Book Blurb:

The whole world is seeking happiness. Who doesn't want to be happy? But is everyone happy? Discover the most fulfilling journey to bliss and ultimate everlasting happiness.

There are three peaks of happiness. Most of humanity lives and dies on the first peak, being glad and being sad, experiencing joy and sorrow like a yo-yo.


Twenty percent of humanity is fortunate to live a life of contentment on the Second Peak of Happiness that offers tremendous joy and peace.


A small fraction of humanity goes on a quest for the third peak. The Third Peak not only gives one eternal bliss, everlasting joy, and peace, but also gives one freedom from problems, worries, and pain!


This book is a personal experience of such a traveler who climbed all the three peaks. He shares his journey and shows you the way to the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness.

“You can be as happy as you want to be. True Happiness, Ultimate Bliss lies beyond a pursuit of Pleasure and Peace. It is experienced by those who Discover the Purpose of Life!”



Read an Excerpt:

Chapter 1

Happiness is a Journey

The whole world is seeking happiness. In fact, it seems like
we are all on an eternal journey to destination happiness. Yes, happiness is a
journey, but not many people know that it is the path itself. You cannot get
happiness, but you can be happy. While there is no one on earth who doesn’t
seek this treasure, there are only a few who truly understand what happiness
is.

“Do you know that you
can choose to be happy or unhappy? Happiness doesn’t just happen; it is a
choice you make”  -RVM

What is Happiness?

  Happiness is a state of mind. It’s a state of
joy, bliss and cheer. It is an emotion- energy in motion- that makes one glad,
just as unhappiness is an emotion, that makes one sad. A happy person is joyous
and he smiles and laughs just as unhappy person frowns and cries. We feel happy
and it shows. Happiness radiates through cheerfulness and enthusiasm. Although
happiness may be a common word, it is often quite tricky to define or explain
“Happiness”.

Everyone wants to be happy

Who
doesn’t want to be happy? Everybody on earth wants happiness, whether one is a
baby or an adult, be it man or a woman, Indian or American, black or white, or
rich or poor, who doesn’t want to be happy? Everybody alive on this planet
seeks happiness. Not just human being, it seems even animals wants to be happy.
We see that dogs wag its tail in joy, birds fly in the sky, fish swirl in the
water, and the peacock open their wings to dance in bliss. Don’t you think they
all seek happiness too? Everybody wants to be happy.

If
you were to ask different people around the globe, what they are seeking, you
would get different answers from each one. But if you further ask them, why
they are seeking it, you would get a common answer from all- “Happiness”. The
goal of life is happiness. Everyone wants to be happy, and people do different
things to achieve this one objective. To a businessman, a successful business
brings happiness. To artists, it may be a creative product that is born out of
their imagination. A student may be happy with excellence in exams, just as a
politicians is blissful on winning an election. We all do different things, but
whatever we do, the goal is one: We all want to be happy!

“If you have not learnt anything, but have
learnt one thing that the goal of life is to be happy, you have learnt
everything!” - RVM 

About the Author:

AiR – Atman in Ravi, or the Soul in Ravi, is an embodied soul whose only mission in life is to realize the Truth and help people realize the Truth. 

He was born on October 15, 1966 in Bangalore, as Ravi V. Melwani. At a very young age, he mastered the craft of business and became a very successful businessman who revolutionized retailing in India with the stores Kids Kemp, Big Kids Kemp, and Kemp Fort. After making millions, he realized that life is not just about making money. He shut down his business at the age of 40, transformed his life to RVM living by the RVM philosophy – Rejoice, Value Life, and Make a Difference. He started doing H.I.S. work – Humanitarian, Inspirational and Spiritual work. His mission was to “Make a Difference” in this world before his journey was over.

Until next time,