Kundan's bookshelf: all

Kundan's bookshelf: all en-US Fri, 21 Mar 2025 22:42:46 -0700 60 Kundan's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg When Women Were Dragons 57033379 The Ogress and The Orphans, Alex Green is a young girl in a world much like ours, except for its most seminal event: the Mass Dragoning of 1955, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary wives and mothers sprouted wings, scales, and talons; left a trail of fiery destruction in their path; and took to the skies. Was it their choice? What will become of those left behind? Why did Alex’s beloved aunt Marla transform but her mother did not? Alex doesn’t know. It’s taboo to speak of.

Forced into silence, Alex nevertheless must face the consequences of this astonishing event: a mother more protective than ever; an absentee father; the upsetting insistence that her aunt never even existed; and
watching her beloved cousin Bea become dangerously obsessed with the forbidden.

In this timely and timeless speculative novel, award-winning author Kelly Barnhill boldly explores rage, memory, and the tyranny of forced limitations. When Women Were Dragons exposes a world that wants to keep women small—their lives and their prospects—and examines what happens when they rise en masse and take up the space they deserve.]]> 352 Kelly Barnhill 0385548230 Kundan 0 4.08 2022 When Women Were Dragons

author: Kelly Barnhill
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2025/03/21
date added: 2025/03/21
shelves:
review:

]]> Veronika Decides to Die 1431 The Alchemist addresses the fundamental questions asked by millions: What am I doing here today? and Why do I go on living?

Twenty-four-year-old Veronika seems to have everything she could wish for: youth and beauty, plenty of attractive boyfriends, a fulfilling job, and a loving family. Yet something is lacking in her life. Inside her is a void so deep that nothing could possibly ever fill it. So, on the morning of November 11, 1997, Veronika decides to die. She takes a handful of sleeping pills expecting never to wake up.

Naturally Veronika is stunned when she does wake up at Villete, a local mental hospital, where the staff informs her that she has, in fact, partially succeeded in achieving her goal. While the overdose didn't kill Veronika immediately, the medication has damaged her heart so severely that she has only days to live.

The story follows Veronika through the intense week of self-discovery that ensues. To her surprise, Veronika finds herself drawn to the confinement of Villete and its patients, who, each in his or her individual way, reflect the heart of human experience. In the heightened state of life's final moments, Veronika discovers things she has never really allowed herself to feel before: hatred, fear, curiosity, love, and sexual awakening. She finds that every second of her existence is a choice between living and dying, and at the eleventh hour emerges more open to life than ever before.

In Veronika Decides to Die, Paulo Coelho takes the reader on a distinctly modern quest to find meaning in a culture overshadowed by angst, soulless routine, and pervasive conformity. Based on events in Coelho's own life, Veronika Decides to Die questions the meaning of madness and celebrates individuals who do not fit into patterns society considers to be normal. Poignant and illuminating, it is a dazzling portrait of a young woman at the crossroads of despair and liberation, and a poetic, exuberant appreciation of each day as a renewed opportunity.

]]> 285 Paulo Coelho Kundan 1 3.75 1998 Veronika Decides to Die

author: Paulo Coelho
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.75
book published: 1998
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2025/03/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1)]]> 52397
Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others.

When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.]]> 345 Octavia E. Butler 0446675504 Kundan 3 4.21 1993 Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1)

author: Octavia E. Butler
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1993
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2025/03/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Empire of Sand (The Books of Ambha, #1)]]> 39714124 A nobleman’s daughter with magic in her blood. An empire built on the dreams of enslaved gods. Empire of Sand is Tasha Suri’s captivating, Mughal India-inspired debut fantasy.

The Amrithi are outcasts; nomads descended of desert spirits, they are coveted and persecuted throughout the Empire for the power in their blood. Mehr is the illegitimate daughter of an imperial governor and an exiled Amrithi mother she can barely remember, but whose face and magic she has inherited.

When Mehr’s power comes to the attention of the Emperor’s most feared mystics, she must use every ounce of will, subtlety, and power she possesses to resist their cruel agenda �� and should she fail, the gods themselves may awaken seeking vengeance��

Empire of Sand is a lush, dazzling fantasy novel perfect for readers of City of Brass and The Wrath & the Dawn.]]> 402 Tasha Suri 0316449695 Kundan 4 3.84 2018 Empire of Sand (The Books of Ambha, #1)

author: Tasha Suri
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2022/05/02
date added: 2025/03/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Infomocracy (The Centenal Cycle, #1)]]> 26114433
With power comes corruption. For Ken, this is his chance to do right by the idealistic Policy1st party and get a steady job in the big leagues. For Domaine, the election represents another staging ground in his ongoing struggle against the pax democratica. For Mishima, a dangerous Information operative, the whole situation is a puzzle: how do you keep the wheels running on the biggest political experiment of all time, when so many have so much to gain?

Infomocracy is Malka Older's debut novel.]]> 380 Malka Ann Older 0765385155 Kundan 0 to-read 3.57 2016 Infomocracy (The Centenal Cycle, #1)

author: Malka Ann Older
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Draupadi 43528430 247 Saiswaroopa Iyer 9353333164 Kundan 4 4.07 2019

author: Saiswaroopa Iyer
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/05
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves:
review:

]]> Brida 2817201 212 Paulo Coelho 0061578932 Kundan 1 By Kundan Chhabra

Tldr: this is waste of 6 hours of your precious life and valuable time, especially if you are on a journey of actively decolonizing from Abrahamic Supremacy. It's a book full of cultural Appropriation and Epistemicide of multiple cultures + cr*p full of Abrahamic Supremacist propaganda, misinformation and manipulation.

Here's my review proper. I am writing most of this review in the following format: simply giving you a list of who it's for and who it's not for.

WHO IT'S FOR:

1. For New Age Christians who still want to be Christian but in a new bottle that gives them absolution from Christian guilt-tripping and also guilt for all the harm caused by Christianity but don't want to actually give up Christian Supremacy.

2. Imperialists who love to appropriate multiple cultures and commit Epistemicide.

3. Naive people who buy into the Abrahamic Supremacist New Age propaganda about "twin flames", "soulmates", etc.

4. Unethical people who enjoy the erasure of Global Indigenous People and revisionist history that harms the most marginalized people on Earth.

Who It's Not for:

1. Ethical people who are actively decolonizing from both Imperialism and Abrahamic Supremacy.

2. People who would rather read nuanced stories rather than easy stories that erase entire cultures and completely rewrites their history, replacing them with overly simplistic false propaganda.

Example of revisionist history in the book: when he says that Tarot was turned into a game because the Christianized "god" wanted to make it easy to learn.

Not only does the book erase Romani culture by turning one of their core practices into a mere plot device, but this line in the book is false revisionist history that contributes to their continued oppression today. For example, Italy and the Czech Republic are still kidnapping Romani children including even newborn babies away from their mothers and trafficking them into Christian foster homes. Yes I use that language on purpose because it's indeed essentially legal state-sanctioned kidnapping and trafficking.

And no, the Romani people turned Tarot into a game to hide from constant oppression, ok? "God" didn't do it. Romani people did it. Enough with the Epistemicide!

But even as a story in its own right, it's boring and unoriginal. Just a waste of 6 hours of my life! ]]> 3.59 1990 Brida

author: Paulo Coelho
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.59
book published: 1990
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves:
review:
Review of Brida by Paulo Coelho.
By Kundan Chhabra

Tldr: this is waste of 6 hours of your precious life and valuable time, especially if you are on a journey of actively decolonizing from Abrahamic Supremacy. It's a book full of cultural Appropriation and Epistemicide of multiple cultures + cr*p full of Abrahamic Supremacist propaganda, misinformation and manipulation.

Here's my review proper. I am writing most of this review in the following format: simply giving you a list of who it's for and who it's not for.

WHO IT'S FOR:

1. For New Age Christians who still want to be Christian but in a new bottle that gives them absolution from Christian guilt-tripping and also guilt for all the harm caused by Christianity but don't want to actually give up Christian Supremacy.

2. Imperialists who love to appropriate multiple cultures and commit Epistemicide.

3. Naive people who buy into the Abrahamic Supremacist New Age propaganda about "twin flames", "soulmates", etc.

4. Unethical people who enjoy the erasure of Global Indigenous People and revisionist history that harms the most marginalized people on Earth.

Who It's Not for:

1. Ethical people who are actively decolonizing from both Imperialism and Abrahamic Supremacy.

2. People who would rather read nuanced stories rather than easy stories that erase entire cultures and completely rewrites their history, replacing them with overly simplistic false propaganda.

Example of revisionist history in the book: when he says that Tarot was turned into a game because the Christianized "god" wanted to make it easy to learn.

Not only does the book erase Romani culture by turning one of their core practices into a mere plot device, but this line in the book is false revisionist history that contributes to their continued oppression today. For example, Italy and the Czech Republic are still kidnapping Romani children including even newborn babies away from their mothers and trafficking them into Christian foster homes. Yes I use that language on purpose because it's indeed essentially legal state-sanctioned kidnapping and trafficking.

And no, the Romani people turned Tarot into a game to hide from constant oppression, ok? "God" didn't do it. Romani people did it. Enough with the Epistemicide!

But even as a story in its own right, it's boring and unoriginal. Just a waste of 6 hours of my life!
]]> <![CDATA[The Legend of Meneka (The Divine Dancers, #1)]]> 212681999 In this sweeping crossover of romantic fantasy and Hindu mythology, acclaimed author Kritika H. Rao reimagines the famous tale of a celestial dancer tasked with seducing a human sage, but when she finds herself falling in love with her mark, she will be forced to choose between loyalty to her home and being true to herself—perfect for readers of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Kaikeyi, and Circe.

Across the mortal and immortal realms, celestial dancers known as apsaras are revered for their beauty, allure, and enchanting magic. But Meneka knows that is not all they are. Trained as a weapon—a warrior—Meneka despises leaving each of her marks in thrall to her potent illusions. With every seduction Lord Indra, king of heaven, demands of her for his political gain, she craves her freedom more and more.

When a mortal sage’s growing powers threaten Indra’s supremacy in his own realm, Meneka seizes a rare opportunity. She strikes a deal—if she can seduce this dangerous man, Indra will allow her to forgo future missions. But upon meeting the sage, Kaushika, Meneka finds herself captivated by his energy, ignited by his empathy and passion, even though he threatens everything she’s ever known. Can she overthrow the man who is—little by little—stealing her heart, or is Kaushika seducing her instead? As war looms in the skies, Meneka must choose between her duty to protect her home, and the sage who is showing her what true love can mean.

Romantic, spellbinding, and empowering, The Legend of Meneka breathes new life into Hindu mythology to weave a lustrous tale of a woman discovering the cosmic power within herself. This first book in the Divine Dancers duology is a completely unputdownable adventure for lovers of romantasy and myth retellings.]]> 368 Kritika H. Rao 0063349183 Kundan 0 to-read 3.65 2025 The Legend of Meneka (The Divine Dancers, #1)

The Legend of Meneka (The Divine Dancers, #1)

author: Kritika H. Rao
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Goddess of the River 181865600
A mother and a son. A goddess and a prince. A curse and an oath. A river whose course will change the fate of the world.

Ganga, joyful goddess of the river, serves as caretaker to the mischievous godlings who roam her banks. But when their antics incur the wrath of a powerful sage, Ganga is cursed to become mortal, bound to her human form until she fulfills the obligations of the curse.

Though she knows nothing of mortal life, Ganga weds King Shantanu and becomes a queen, determined to regain her freedom no matter the cost. But in a cruel turn of fate, just as she is freed of her binding, she is forced to leave her infant son behind.

Her son, prince Devavrata, unwittingly carries the legacy of Ganga’s curse. And when he makes an oath that he will never claim his father’s throne, he sets in motion a chain of events that will end in a terrible and tragic war.

As the years unfold, Ganga and Devavrata are drawn together again and again, each confluence another step on a path that has been written in the stars, in this deeply moving and masterful tale of duty, destiny, and the unwavering bond between mother and son.]]> 496 Vaishnavi Patel 035652020X Kundan 1

Summary: I don't even consider this to be a story at all, let alone a good story. I consider it to be dehumanizing Hinduphobic propaganda with narrative choices resulting in queer erasure of trans identity. Therefore, transphobic in impact, intentionally or unintentionally. Remember: Impact over Intention!

The author claims it's a "retelling" of our Hindu epic "Mahabharata" but it's more like a mockery of it. It's more like a Greek story in "Hinduface", made for the Hinduphobic Western Gaze.

The gist of it:

DEHUMANIZATION:
Dehumanizing language including the use of the words “animals�� “monsters�� and “uncivilized�� to describe characters from the major Hindu epic "Mahabharata". This is literally a colonial portrayal, the same portrayal that the British Christian colonizers portrayed us Indigenous Hindus as.

And Yes! Back then too, they used self-hating colonial agents for this. Remember that there were Hindu soldiers who fought for the British Christian colonizers even back in the day. Today we call them “Brown sepoys��.

DEHUMANIZATION happens in 3 different ways:
1. Demonization/Villainizing: Almost all male characters are described using essentially hate speech: “monsters, “animals �� and “uncivilized �� "violent" bloodthirsty warmongers.

Even our major deity Shiva is villainized as “trapping�� and “chaining�� a Goddess in his hair. This is at best a shallow childish understanding of the original source material. At worst, it's Hinduphobia.

Imagine if an author wrote a similar portrayal of Allah or Mohammed! The Western left would be up in arms!

2. Exoticization: This is the other side of the same coin in the "Demonization Exoticization False Binary", a subset of the "Good Evil False Binary" within "Black-and-White-Morality". First of all, most of the amazing women from the Mahabharata are completely erased. The handful of remaining female characters are sidelined, downplayed and/or reduced to the Victim Hero trope. Showing people as only having positive Qualities (and even those very limited) is a form of dehumanization too because it reduces a multidimensional human being into just a trope or archetype. I call this “Exoticization�� or “Exotifying��.

3. Infantilizing: She turned a powerful Goddess Ma Ganga into her main character but repeatedly portrayed her as more like petulant child and a “victim�� than the Goddess with agency she actually is! This is essentially infantilizing her.

CALL FOR G*N*CIDE?

“Would the world be better off without the Kuru line? If my son died, he would come home to me. And the rest of them�� I did not believe them worth saving, worth ruling�� (from Chapter 24).

This seems like an open call for our g*n*cide?!

QUEER ERASURE and TRANSPHOBIC NARRATIVE CHOICES:

Then there's the queer erasure and misgendering of the character Shikandhi from the Mahabharata. The author has changed his story and completely removed his queer trans identity as a trans man. This is openly transphobic.

I know why she did it of course: because this is not written for us Indigenous Hindus but for the Western gaze, she doesn't want the Western reader to have even the slightest hint that ancient Hindus had trans people and accepted trans people or were aligned with modern-day “progressive�� values.

For this reason, Arjun's genderfluidity story is also completely erased. Even Queen Draupadi's polyandry was hardly mentioned but King Shantanu's marriages to multiple women was mentioned repeatedly.

The agenda of all this erasure is of course Hinduphobia but unfortunately, queer erasure of trans identity is also transphobic, even if not “intentional��. Hence, there's nothing “progressive�� about this choice. Impact > Intention.

(And using people as props for your propaganda by reducing them to tropes and archetypes is dehumanizing and therefore counts as bigotry. Doing it to trans identities is therefore also transphobic in impact)

INVERTED NARRATIVE and INVERTED MESSAGING:

Much of the original Mahabharata is inverted to its OPPOSITE to fulfill the author's Hinduphobic agenda. Please be careful when you read it because much of what she wrote here didn't even happen in the original Mahabharata.

PROJECTION of CHRISTIAN SUPREMACY onto INDIGENOUS HINDUS:

It's hinted that us Indigenous Hindus did “witch hunts�� and were afraid of women with special abilities. It's actually what the Christian Colonizers did to us Indigenous Hindus and other Indigenous people all over the world. This inversion of history itself is insulting to our women ancestors who suffered at the hands of these Colonizers and Imperialists.

At one point, one of the main male characters is literally given a line taken straight from Genesis 1:28 (without crediting the source of course). He is portrayed as saying men should have “dominion over Nature��. This is Christian Supremacy and Abrahamic Supremacy projected onto us Indigenous Hindus.

It's yet another inversion of history because we love, respect and even worship Mother Earth as “Ma Bhumi��, a Goddess.

In fact, we are portrayed repeatedly as hating, “using�� and destroying Nature.

CONCLUSION:
Skip this Hinduphobic mockery of the largest largely intact Indigenous culture and people left Earth: us Indigenous Hindus. (There are over a billion of us).

In addition, both the Ramayan and parts of the Mahabharata are sacred to some of us Indigenous Buddhists too. (500 million+ global population) The author's previous book "Kaikeyi" also made a mockery of the Ramayan. So she has a pattern of writing bigoted stuff .]]> 3.77 2024 Goddess of the River

author: Vaishnavi Patel
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2024
rating: 1
read at: 2025/02/24
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves:
review:
I am saying very little here because my main review is on my Substack. Go read it over there:

Summary: I don't even consider this to be a story at all, let alone a good story. I consider it to be dehumanizing Hinduphobic propaganda with narrative choices resulting in queer erasure of trans identity. Therefore, transphobic in impact, intentionally or unintentionally. Remember: Impact over Intention!

The author claims it's a "retelling" of our Hindu epic "Mahabharata" but it's more like a mockery of it. It's more like a Greek story in "Hinduface", made for the Hinduphobic Western Gaze.

The gist of it:

DEHUMANIZATION:
Dehumanizing language including the use of the words “animals�� “monsters�� and “uncivilized�� to describe characters from the major Hindu epic "Mahabharata". This is literally a colonial portrayal, the same portrayal that the British Christian colonizers portrayed us Indigenous Hindus as.

And Yes! Back then too, they used self-hating colonial agents for this. Remember that there were Hindu soldiers who fought for the British Christian colonizers even back in the day. Today we call them “Brown sepoys��.

DEHUMANIZATION happens in 3 different ways:
1. Demonization/Villainizing: Almost all male characters are described using essentially hate speech: “monsters, “animals �� and “uncivilized �� "violent" bloodthirsty warmongers.

Even our major deity Shiva is villainized as “trapping�� and “chaining�� a Goddess in his hair. This is at best a shallow childish understanding of the original source material. At worst, it's Hinduphobia.

Imagine if an author wrote a similar portrayal of Allah or Mohammed! The Western left would be up in arms!

2. Exoticization: This is the other side of the same coin in the "Demonization Exoticization False Binary", a subset of the "Good Evil False Binary" within "Black-and-White-Morality". First of all, most of the amazing women from the Mahabharata are completely erased. The handful of remaining female characters are sidelined, downplayed and/or reduced to the Victim Hero trope. Showing people as only having positive Qualities (and even those very limited) is a form of dehumanization too because it reduces a multidimensional human being into just a trope or archetype. I call this “Exoticization�� or “Exotifying��.

3. Infantilizing: She turned a powerful Goddess Ma Ganga into her main character but repeatedly portrayed her as more like petulant child and a “victim�� than the Goddess with agency she actually is! This is essentially infantilizing her.

CALL FOR G*N*CIDE?

“Would the world be better off without the Kuru line? If my son died, he would come home to me. And the rest of them�� I did not believe them worth saving, worth ruling�� (from Chapter 24).

This seems like an open call for our g*n*cide?!

QUEER ERASURE and TRANSPHOBIC NARRATIVE CHOICES:

Then there's the queer erasure and misgendering of the character Shikandhi from the Mahabharata. The author has changed his story and completely removed his queer trans identity as a trans man. This is openly transphobic.

I know why she did it of course: because this is not written for us Indigenous Hindus but for the Western gaze, she doesn't want the Western reader to have even the slightest hint that ancient Hindus had trans people and accepted trans people or were aligned with modern-day “progressive�� values.

For this reason, Arjun's genderfluidity story is also completely erased. Even Queen Draupadi's polyandry was hardly mentioned but King Shantanu's marriages to multiple women was mentioned repeatedly.

The agenda of all this erasure is of course Hinduphobia but unfortunately, queer erasure of trans identity is also transphobic, even if not “intentional��. Hence, there's nothing “progressive�� about this choice. Impact > Intention.

(And using people as props for your propaganda by reducing them to tropes and archetypes is dehumanizing and therefore counts as bigotry. Doing it to trans identities is therefore also transphobic in impact)

INVERTED NARRATIVE and INVERTED MESSAGING:

Much of the original Mahabharata is inverted to its OPPOSITE to fulfill the author's Hinduphobic agenda. Please be careful when you read it because much of what she wrote here didn't even happen in the original Mahabharata.

PROJECTION of CHRISTIAN SUPREMACY onto INDIGENOUS HINDUS:

It's hinted that us Indigenous Hindus did “witch hunts�� and were afraid of women with special abilities. It's actually what the Christian Colonizers did to us Indigenous Hindus and other Indigenous people all over the world. This inversion of history itself is insulting to our women ancestors who suffered at the hands of these Colonizers and Imperialists.

At one point, one of the main male characters is literally given a line taken straight from Genesis 1:28 (without crediting the source of course). He is portrayed as saying men should have “dominion over Nature��. This is Christian Supremacy and Abrahamic Supremacy projected onto us Indigenous Hindus.

It's yet another inversion of history because we love, respect and even worship Mother Earth as “Ma Bhumi��, a Goddess.

In fact, we are portrayed repeatedly as hating, “using�� and destroying Nature.

CONCLUSION:
Skip this Hinduphobic mockery of the largest largely intact Indigenous culture and people left Earth: us Indigenous Hindus. (There are over a billion of us).

In addition, both the Ramayan and parts of the Mahabharata are sacred to some of us Indigenous Buddhists too. (500 million+ global population) The author's previous book "Kaikeyi" also made a mockery of the Ramayan. So she has a pattern of writing bigoted stuff .
]]> <![CDATA[Simha's Roar (The Battle of Vathapi #3)]]> 213284394 368 Arun Krishnan 9356999465 Kundan 0 to-read 4.48

author: Arun Krishnan
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.48
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Varahas Vengeance (The Battle of Vathapi #2)]]> 205165251
After months of setting their plan in motion, three gallant Pallava captains march forward, driven by King Narasimhavaraman's vow to avenge their clan's honour. In response, the indomitable Chalukya King Pulikeshi launches a fierce counterattack, aided by his brother, Kubja Vishnuvardhana.

Backed by their powerful allies, the Chalukyas spare no effort in their attempts to decimate the Pallava army, ambushing the enemy on both land and sea. The very survival of the Pallavas hangs in the balance. Can they withstand the unbridled force unleashed by the resurgent Chalukyas or will they succumb to the overwhelming might of their adversaries? Can they rally their defences before all is lost?

The second volume of the adrenaline-fueled saga that began with Nandi's Charge, unfolds in riveting detail in Varaha's Vengeance, taking readers on a thrilling journey through one of the most exciting periods of Indian history.]]> 420 Arun Krishnan 9356999481 Kundan 0 to-read 4.52 Varahas Vengeance (The Battle of Vathapi #2)

Varahas Vengeance (The Battle of Vathapi #2)

author: Arun Krishnan
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.52
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Battle of Vathapi: Nandi’s Charge]]> 59843832 Nandi’s Charge, the first book of the Battle of Vathapi series, author Arun Krishnan takes us through the riveting tale of preparations on the Pallava side for an eventual campaign against Pulikeshi and the Chalukyas. A young king, Narasimhavarman, is out to keep a promise made to his dying father. Can the young lion keep his word?

At the dawn of the 7th century CE, Bharat was a land in ferment, politically, socially and ideologically. It was a time of great religious revival. Santana Dharma was trying to reassert itself with the start of the Bhakti movement in the South. King Harsha at Kannauj, King Pulilekeshi at Vathapi and King Narasimhavarman at Kanchi loomed large over the Indian political horizon at that point.]]> 507 Arun Krishnan 1942426925 Kundan 0 to-read 4.56 2021 Battle of Vathapi: Nandi’s Charge

author: Arun Krishnan
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life]]> 27213168
Yong, whose humor is as evident as his erudition, prompts us to look at ourselves and our animal companions in a new light—less as individuals and more as the interconnected, interdependent multitudes we assuredly are. The microbes in our bodies are part of our immune systems and protect us from disease. Those in cows and termites digest the plants they eat. In the deep oceans, mysterious creatures without mouths or guts depend on microbes for all their energy. Bacteria provide squids with invisibility cloaks, help beetles to bring down forests, and allow worms to cause diseases that afflict millions of people.

I Contain Multitudes is the story of these extraordinary partnerships, between the creatures we are familiar with and those we are not. It reveals how we humans are disrupting these partnerships and how we might manipulate them for our own good. It will change both our view of nature and our sense of where we belong in it.]]> 368 Ed Yong 0062368591 Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.16 2016 I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life

I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life

author: Ed Yong
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The Scattered Purple Flowers 228012063
Each poem is accompanied by a short note discussing the theme/ prompt in it.

If you like poems that make you smile, laugh, cry, and think, The Scattered Purple Flowers is for you.]]> 117 Srivalli Rekha Kundan 0 to-read 4.50

author: Srivalli Rekha
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Immortals of Meluha (Shiva Trilogy, #1)]]> 7913305 The only hope for the Suryavanshis is an ancient legend: When evil reaches epic proportions, when all seems lost, when it appears that your enemies have triumphed, a hero will emerge.

Is the rough-hewn Tibetan immigrant Shiva, really that hero? And does he want to be that hero at all? Drawn suddenly to his destiny, by duty as well as by love, will Shiva lead the Suryavanshi vengeance and destroy evil?

]]> 436 Amish Tripathi Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.11 2010 The Immortals of Meluha (Shiva Trilogy, #1)

author: Amish Tripathi
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth]]> 196774338
The Light Eaters is a deep immersion into the drama of green life and the complexity of this wild and awe-inspiring world that challenges our very understanding of agency, consciousness, and intelligence. In looking closely, we see that plants, rather than imitate human intelligence, have perhaps formed a parallel system. What is intelligent life if not a vine that grows leaves to blend into the shrub on which it climbs, a flower that shapes its bloom to fit exactly the beak of its pollinator, a pea seedling that can hear water flowing and make its way toward it? Zoë Schlanger takes us across the globe, digging into her own memories and into the soil with the scientists who have spent their waking days studying these amazing entities up close.

What can we learn about life on Earth from the living things that thrive, adapt, consume, and accommodate simultaneously? More important, what do we owe these life forms once we come to understand their rich and varied abilities? Examining the latest epiphanies in botanical research, Schlanger spotlights the intellectual struggles among the researchers conceiving a wholly new view of their subject, offering a glimpse of a field in turmoil as plant scientists debate the tenets of ongoing discoveries and how they influence our understanding of what a plant is.

We need plants to survive. But what do they need us for—if at all? An eye-opening and informative look at the ecosystem we live in, this book challenges us to rethink the role of plants—and our own place—in the natural world.]]> 304 Zoë Schlanger 0063073854 Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.29 2024 The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth

The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth

author: Zoë Schlanger
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The Vanished Birds 45422268
"This is when your life begins."

Nia Imani is a woman out of place and outside of time. Decades of travel through the stars are condensed into mere months for her, though the years continue to march steadily onward for everyone she has ever known. Her friends and lovers have aged past her; all she has left is work. Alone and adrift, she lives only for the next paycheck, until the day she meets a mysterious boy, fallen from the sky.

A boy, broken by his past.

The scarred child does not speak, his only form of communication the beautiful and haunting music he plays on an old wooden flute. Captured by his songs and their strange, immediate connection, Nia decides to take the boy in. And over years of starlit travel, these two outsiders discover in each other the things they lack. For him, a home, a place of love and safety. For her, an anchor to the world outside of herself.

For both of them, a family.

But Nia is not the only one who wants the boy. The past hungers for him, and when it catches up, it threatens to tear this makeshift family apart.]]> 391 Simon Jimenez 0593128982 Kundan 3
Book Review by Kundan Chhabra

UPDATE: After thinking about it some more, I am knocking 1 more star off it because the problem I highlighted below is even more insidious than I realized before. Scroll to the end for that update.

This book is a space opera spanning a thousand years featuring a diverse cast and queer relationships, covering heroic resistance in the face of Imperialism, Capitalism and Colonialism.

It begins with showing you the high personal cost of space travel on your personal/intimate relationships due to time dilation. It's brilliant how it makes such a big complicated scientific concept feel personal and intimate.

(And it doesn't explain what "time dilation" is. It assumes you just understand it I don't think it even uses that term at all?. So just go with it because this novel doesn't really explain any science concept nor the tech to you. It's just there. Lol. ZERO "info dumping").

However, even though those first 50 pages might confuse you and have you questioning what all this has to do with "space opera", just be patient and stay with it because you will be well rewarded later on. Once you get near the end, you suddenly understand why that setup in the first chapter is so important because you now can viscerally empathize with the contrast in "technology", and what it does for people's lives).

That first chapter is also like its own Short story: very touching and poetic!

It's one of the ways the author has made this story feel both VAST (such as spanning a thousand years) and intimate (the minutia of our lives such as our intimate relationships during one brief life of a few decades).

It's also about found family and the "clever" cunning stupidity of corporate greed (yes another set of opposites the author has brilliantly brought together).

My only gripe about it is that because its portrayal of imperialism is stripped from its relationship with Abrahamic Supremacy, those parts of the book do feel flat and hollow at times.

Just like he doesn't explain the science and technology, the author doesn't really explain the imperialism and Capitalism. It's just....there. He assumes you understand it all already?

In that sense, it's also a depressing thought: are we still going to have Imperialism, colonialism and Capitalism as a species even a thousand years from now? Yes he does balance it out with the heroism and heroic fight against it which is a nice balance of course. But we're still having to fight against it even a thousand years from now? Wow smh. Ugh!

For these reasons, I am docking 1 star out of the 5 stars.

That said, that's all I am going to say about the book because it's better if you know as little about it as possible going in.

It's a great book for you especially if you enjoy space opera but feel it's intimidating because of its huge scales as this one manages to solve that problem very elegantly. Especially if you also enjoy stories of “found family�� and “motley crew��.

It's definitely not the book for you if you like to whine about "diversity" and queer relationships in books nor is it the book for you if you are too much of a Capitalist yourself.

My UPDATE: The fact that Imperialism still exists in this world feels like it's by design. This ties in with the concept of "manufacturing consent". For example, Imperialists came out with the movie "Civil W*r" last year. They pretend it's to warn us and prevent it from happening but actually they're openly telling us their plans and trying to desensitize us by making it "entertainment" and making it seem acceptable, trying to manufacture our consent.

Likewise, through this story "The Vanished Birds" and others like it, they're openly telling us they intend to continue inflicting Imperialism for a thousand more years. That's why the story also ends with a kind of "open loop", with no real closure, to keep us feeling nervous, anxious and helpless.

This is also related to the fact that the depiction of Imperialism is stripped from Abrahamic Supremacy: it's because Abrahamic Supremacy including anti-Indigenous Marxism drives the plot, especially their Good Evil False Binary and its subsets, such as the False Binary that a "curse = bad" vs "blessing = good". In non-Abrahamic Indigenous religions, curses and blessings are seen as both good AND bad.

1 MORE UPDATE related to this 02/19/2025: Lots of Western science fiction is heavily influenced by the Marxist bigoted idea that religion including Indigenous Religion is just a "developmental stage". That is, if you are religious, they consider you to be basically a primitive s*vage". Remember that Karl Marx himself was an anti-Indigenous Hinduphobic Dharmaphobic anti-Semitic anti-religion bigot who called religion 'the opium of the poor" and wrote the openly anti-Semitic essay "On the Jewish Question". Basically he was projecting his trauma with Abrahamic Supremacy onto ALL religion including Indigenous Religion because of course Hueless people like him think they're the only humans on Earth.

The whole storyline about Kaeda, his supposed "curse", and his people fearing the boy Ahro thinking he was cursed too - and portraying them and this belief as a primitive backwards uncivilized "development stage" is more Marxist anti-Indigenous anti-religion propaganda because of course Kaeda's people are a stand-in for Indigenous people.

It reflects yet another False Binary: religion vs science. But in our Dharmic Indigenous religion for example, science and religion are deeply intertwined.
For example, if you ever had surgery or been to the dentist, you owe it to us Indigenous Hindus because we came up with both dentistry and surgery.

If you use computers including your phone, you owe it to us Indigenous Hindus too because we Indigenous Hindus (and Indigenous Mayans independently) came up with the number zero. But not only that: we Indigenous Hindus also came up with the "number base" concept itself. For example, we usually use Base 10 but computers use Base 2: 1s and zeros.

(And in reality, we even came up with Newton's Laws of Motion " including Gravity long before Newton).

So who is the 'primitive" one here? The reason why we came up with all that is BECAUSE science and religion and spirituality are all deeply intertwined for us Indigenous people. It's not a "developmental stage". So just stop being a bigot, okay?!

For these reasons, my reservations against the book have increased despite the many things I like about it, especially the poetic prose.]]> 4.05 2020 The Vanished Birds

author: Simon Jimenez
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2025/02/19
shelves:
review:
The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez

Book Review by Kundan Chhabra

UPDATE: After thinking about it some more, I am knocking 1 more star off it because the problem I highlighted below is even more insidious than I realized before. Scroll to the end for that update.

This book is a space opera spanning a thousand years featuring a diverse cast and queer relationships, covering heroic resistance in the face of Imperialism, Capitalism and Colonialism.

It begins with showing you the high personal cost of space travel on your personal/intimate relationships due to time dilation. It's brilliant how it makes such a big complicated scientific concept feel personal and intimate.

(And it doesn't explain what "time dilation" is. It assumes you just understand it I don't think it even uses that term at all?. So just go with it because this novel doesn't really explain any science concept nor the tech to you. It's just there. Lol. ZERO "info dumping").

However, even though those first 50 pages might confuse you and have you questioning what all this has to do with "space opera", just be patient and stay with it because you will be well rewarded later on. Once you get near the end, you suddenly understand why that setup in the first chapter is so important because you now can viscerally empathize with the contrast in "technology", and what it does for people's lives).

That first chapter is also like its own Short story: very touching and poetic!

It's one of the ways the author has made this story feel both VAST (such as spanning a thousand years) and intimate (the minutia of our lives such as our intimate relationships during one brief life of a few decades).

It's also about found family and the "clever" cunning stupidity of corporate greed (yes another set of opposites the author has brilliantly brought together).

My only gripe about it is that because its portrayal of imperialism is stripped from its relationship with Abrahamic Supremacy, those parts of the book do feel flat and hollow at times.

Just like he doesn't explain the science and technology, the author doesn't really explain the imperialism and Capitalism. It's just....there. He assumes you understand it all already?

In that sense, it's also a depressing thought: are we still going to have Imperialism, colonialism and Capitalism as a species even a thousand years from now? Yes he does balance it out with the heroism and heroic fight against it which is a nice balance of course. But we're still having to fight against it even a thousand years from now? Wow smh. Ugh!

For these reasons, I am docking 1 star out of the 5 stars.

That said, that's all I am going to say about the book because it's better if you know as little about it as possible going in.

It's a great book for you especially if you enjoy space opera but feel it's intimidating because of its huge scales as this one manages to solve that problem very elegantly. Especially if you also enjoy stories of “found family�� and “motley crew��.

It's definitely not the book for you if you like to whine about "diversity" and queer relationships in books nor is it the book for you if you are too much of a Capitalist yourself.

My UPDATE: The fact that Imperialism still exists in this world feels like it's by design. This ties in with the concept of "manufacturing consent". For example, Imperialists came out with the movie "Civil W*r" last year. They pretend it's to warn us and prevent it from happening but actually they're openly telling us their plans and trying to desensitize us by making it "entertainment" and making it seem acceptable, trying to manufacture our consent.

Likewise, through this story "The Vanished Birds" and others like it, they're openly telling us they intend to continue inflicting Imperialism for a thousand more years. That's why the story also ends with a kind of "open loop", with no real closure, to keep us feeling nervous, anxious and helpless.

This is also related to the fact that the depiction of Imperialism is stripped from Abrahamic Supremacy: it's because Abrahamic Supremacy including anti-Indigenous Marxism drives the plot, especially their Good Evil False Binary and its subsets, such as the False Binary that a "curse = bad" vs "blessing = good". In non-Abrahamic Indigenous religions, curses and blessings are seen as both good AND bad.

1 MORE UPDATE related to this 02/19/2025: Lots of Western science fiction is heavily influenced by the Marxist bigoted idea that religion including Indigenous Religion is just a "developmental stage". That is, if you are religious, they consider you to be basically a primitive s*vage". Remember that Karl Marx himself was an anti-Indigenous Hinduphobic Dharmaphobic anti-Semitic anti-religion bigot who called religion 'the opium of the poor" and wrote the openly anti-Semitic essay "On the Jewish Question". Basically he was projecting his trauma with Abrahamic Supremacy onto ALL religion including Indigenous Religion because of course Hueless people like him think they're the only humans on Earth.

The whole storyline about Kaeda, his supposed "curse", and his people fearing the boy Ahro thinking he was cursed too - and portraying them and this belief as a primitive backwards uncivilized "development stage" is more Marxist anti-Indigenous anti-religion propaganda because of course Kaeda's people are a stand-in for Indigenous people.

It reflects yet another False Binary: religion vs science. But in our Dharmic Indigenous religion for example, science and religion are deeply intertwined.
For example, if you ever had surgery or been to the dentist, you owe it to us Indigenous Hindus because we came up with both dentistry and surgery.

If you use computers including your phone, you owe it to us Indigenous Hindus too because we Indigenous Hindus (and Indigenous Mayans independently) came up with the number zero. But not only that: we Indigenous Hindus also came up with the "number base" concept itself. For example, we usually use Base 10 but computers use Base 2: 1s and zeros.

(And in reality, we even came up with Newton's Laws of Motion " including Gravity long before Newton).

So who is the 'primitive" one here? The reason why we came up with all that is BECAUSE science and religion and spirituality are all deeply intertwined for us Indigenous people. It's not a "developmental stage". So just stop being a bigot, okay?!

For these reasons, my reservations against the book have increased despite the many things I like about it, especially the poetic prose.
]]> The Time Machine 2493
So begins the Time Traveller’s astonishing firsthand account of his journey 800,000 years beyond his own era—and the story that launched H.G. Wells’s successful career and earned him his reputation as the father of science fiction. With a speculative leap that still fires the imagination, Wells sends his brave explorer to face a future burdened with our greatest hopes...and our darkest fears. A pull of the Time Machine’s lever propels him to the age of a slowly dying Earth. There he discovers two bizarre races—the ethereal Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks—who not only symbolize the duality of human nature, but offer a terrifying portrait of the men of tomorrow as well. Published in 1895, this masterpiece of invention captivated readers on the threshold of a new century. Thanks to Wells’s expert storytelling and provocative insight, The Time Machine will continue to enthrall readers for generations to come.

��ձ�> 118 H.G. Wells Kundan 1 1. Glorifying pedophilia.
2. Full of the Demonization Exoticization False Binary, a subset of the Abrahamic Supremacist Good Evil False Binary.
3. Full of the White man's fear of retaliation projected onto Indigenous people.

And so much more!]]> 3.91 1895 The Time Machine

author: H.G. Wells
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.91
book published: 1895
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves:
review:
Huge issues with this ridiculous book:
1. Glorifying pedophilia.
2. Full of the Demonization Exoticization False Binary, a subset of the Abrahamic Supremacist Good Evil False Binary.
3. Full of the White man's fear of retaliation projected onto Indigenous people.

And so much more!
]]> <![CDATA[A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose]]> 76334 With his bestselling spiritual guide "The Power of Now," Eckhart Tolle inspired millions of readers to discover the freedom and joy of a life lived ?in the now.? In "A New Earth," Tolle expands on these powerful ideas to show how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world. Tolle describes how our attachment to the ego creates the dysfunction that leads to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness, and shows readers how to awaken to a new state of consciousness and follow the path to a truly fulfilling existence. "The Power of Now" was a question-and-answer handbook. "A New Earth" has been written as a traditional narrative, offering anecdotes and philosophies in a way that is accessible to all. Illuminating, enlightening, and uplifting, "A New Earth" is a profoundly spiritual manifesto for a better way of life?and for building a better world.]]> 316 Eckhart Tolle 0452287588 Kundan 1 4.15 2005 A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

author: Eckhart Tolle
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2005
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves:
review:
Typical predictable New Age colonial nonsense! Don't waste your time with this!
]]> <![CDATA[Black Avatar: and Other Essays]]> 62622206
The eight pieces in this deeply engaging volume reflect author Amit Majmudar’s comprehensive studies of American, European, and Indian traditions, as well as his experiences in both suburban Ohio and the western Indian state of Gujarat. The volume begins with the title piece, a fifteen-part examination of “How Colorism Came to India.�� Tracing the evolution of India’s bias in favor of light skin, Majmudar reflects on the effects of colonialism, drawing upon sources ranging from early Sanskrit texts to contemporary film and television.

Other essays illuminate subjects both timely and timeless. “The Ramayana and the Birth of Poetry�� discusses how suffering is portrayed in art and literature (“The spectrum of slapstick on one end, scripture on the other, with fiction and poetry . . . in the vastness between them��), while in “Five Famous Asian War Photographs”—a 2018 Best American Essays selection—Majmudar analyzes why these iconic images of atrocity have such emotional resonance. In “Nature/Worship,�� another multi-part piece, the author turns his attention to climate change, linking notions of environmentalism to his ancestral tradition of finding divinity within the natural world, connections that form the basis of religious belief.

Perhaps the greatest achievement of these wide-ranging essays is the prose itself—learned yet lively, erudite yet accessible—nimbly revealing the workings of a wonderfully original mind.]]> 252 Amit Majmudar 1946724610 Kundan 5
We didn't have colorism before British Christian colonialism and Isl*mic Colonialism. In fact, we actually considered the color black to be the most beautiful color. The proof is in our ancient vedas and even in Marco Polo's writings.

Please read it to deprogram and decolonize yourself from Hinduphobia and self-hate. Especially if you claim to care about "justice". Then you should care to know the truth.]]> 4.50 Black Avatar: and Other Essays

author: Amit Majmudar
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves:
review:
This book, especially the title essay, is an essential read to learn the truth about how colorism actually came to India and to debunk colonial narratives masquerading as 'social justice" and "Decoloniality", ironically.

We didn't have colorism before British Christian colonialism and Isl*mic Colonialism. In fact, we actually considered the color black to be the most beautiful color. The proof is in our ancient vedas and even in Marco Polo's writings.

Please read it to deprogram and decolonize yourself from Hinduphobia and self-hate. Especially if you claim to care about "justice". Then you should care to know the truth.
]]> <![CDATA[The Enneagram for Black Liberation: Return to Who You Are Beneath the Armor You Carry]]> 58495644 256 Chichi Agorom 1506478964 Kundan 5 4.55

The Enneagram for Black Liberation: Return to Who You Are Beneath the Armor You Carry

author: Chichi Agorom
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.55
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[CASTE is NOT HINDU: a historical narrative]]> 107621416 120 Guruji Sundara Raj Anantha Kundan 5
And now, in at least 4 states in the United States, these bigoted Hinduphobic false narratives are being used to try to criminalize the largest largely intact Indigenous culture and people on Earth, us Hindus!

Caste is NOT Hindu. Caste is a creation of the Christian British, Portuguese and Spanish Colonizers.

This book clarifies exactly where "Caste" comes from while also clarifying our Indigenous Hindu terms "Varna* and "Jati".

And no, "Varna" and "Jati" are NOT "Caste" either. For example, Varna was horizontal, NOT hierarchical. Nor was it based on birth. And people could change their Varna. And most importantly, it was just a philosophy, NOT ground reality.

"Jati" WAS ground reality but it's not "Caste" either. Read the book to learn all this in detail!

This is a very necessary book for our times, especially if you truly want to "decolonize " instead of ironically always falling for ironically colonial narratives masquerading as "Decoloniality ", bigotry masquerading as "social justice ". Yes, Western Imperialists have ironically colonized "Decoloniality" itself! Lol. So cunning!

If you have not read the book yet, what are you doing?! Read it ASAP. Especially if you want to stop being Hinduphobic! Just read it!]]> 4.83 CASTE is NOT HINDU: a historical narrative

CASTE is NOT HINDU: a historical narrative

author: Guruji Sundara Raj Anantha
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.83
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves:
review:
The very fact that an entire BOOK had to be written with the title "Caste is not Hindu" shows the level and depth of Hinduphobia in the world.

And now, in at least 4 states in the United States, these bigoted Hinduphobic false narratives are being used to try to criminalize the largest largely intact Indigenous culture and people on Earth, us Hindus!

Caste is NOT Hindu. Caste is a creation of the Christian British, Portuguese and Spanish Colonizers.

This book clarifies exactly where "Caste" comes from while also clarifying our Indigenous Hindu terms "Varna* and "Jati".

And no, "Varna" and "Jati" are NOT "Caste" either. For example, Varna was horizontal, NOT hierarchical. Nor was it based on birth. And people could change their Varna. And most importantly, it was just a philosophy, NOT ground reality.

"Jati" WAS ground reality but it's not "Caste" either. Read the book to learn all this in detail!

This is a very necessary book for our times, especially if you truly want to "decolonize " instead of ironically always falling for ironically colonial narratives masquerading as "Decoloniality ", bigotry masquerading as "social justice ". Yes, Western Imperialists have ironically colonized "Decoloniality" itself! Lol. So cunning!

If you have not read the book yet, what are you doing?! Read it ASAP. Especially if you want to stop being Hinduphobic! Just read it!
]]> <![CDATA[Hindu Love Stories: Dharmically Ever After]]> 60762167
We think of love stories as those that end happily-ever-after. But thousands of years ago, in ancient India, love was understood in a different way �� as one of the four aims of life, as a means for spiritual growth, as a celebration of the play of the Divine. As something profound, beautiful, and sometimes elusive.

The sacred texts of Hinduism are populated with astonishing stories of love between gods and goddesses, between mortals and celestial beings, between sages and saints and ordinary humans. Not just ancient lore, these iconic stories have come to define one of the oldest continuous living civilizations and cultures in the world.

This book takes more than 25 stories from the Itithaasa and Puranas, the epic literature of ancient India, as well as stories from history that exemplify the many different aspects and dimensions of love. These stories were transmitted over thousands of years until they became part of the memory of a people. These stories teach us how to find love, how to rise through love, and how to become better through love.

Here you will find --]]> 264 Aditi Banerjee Kundan 5 4.50 Hindu Love Stories: Dharmically Ever After

Hindu Love Stories: Dharmically Ever After

author: Aditi Banerjee
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves:
review:

]]> Finna (LitenVerse, #1) 44081573 Finna is a rambunctious, touching story that blends all the horrors the multiverse has to offer with the everyday awfulness of low-wage work. It explores queer relationships and queer feelings, capitalism and accountability, labor and love, all with a bouncing sense of humor and a commitment to the strange.

When an elderly customer at a big box furniture store slips through a portal to another dimension, it’s up to two minimum-wage employees to track her across the multiverse and protect their company’s bottom line. Multi-dimensional swashbuckling would be hard enough, but those two unfortunate souls broke up a week ago.

To find the missing granny, Ava and Jules will brave carnivorous furniture, swarms of identical furniture spokespeople, and the deep resentment simmering between them. Can friendship blossom from the ashes of their relationship? In infinite dimensions, all things are possible.]]> 103 Nino Cipri 1250245729 Kundan 4 3.64 2020 Finna (LitenVerse, #1)

author: Nino Cipri
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/10
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ivory Key (The Ivory Key Duology, #1)]]> 55959475
Vira is desperate to get out of her mother’s shadow and establish her legacy as a revered queen of Ashoka. But with the country’s only quarry running out of magic–a precious resource that has kept Ashoka safe from conflict–she can barely protect her citizens from the looming threat of war. And if her enemies discover this, they’ll stop at nothing to seize the last of the magic.

Vira’s only hope is to find a mysterious object of legend: the Ivory Key, rumored to unlock a new source of magic. But in order to infiltrate enemy territory and retrieve it, she must reunite with her siblings, torn apart by the different paths their lives have taken. Each of them has something to gain from finding the Ivory Key–and even more to lose if they fail. Ronak plans to sell it to the highest bidder in exchange for escape from his impending political marriage. Kaleb, falsely accused of assassinating the former maharani needs it to clear his name. And Riya, a runaway who cut all family ties, wants the Key to prove her loyalty to the rebels who want to strip the nobility of its power.

They must work together to survive the treacherous journey. But with each sibling harboring secrets and their own agendas, the very thing that brought them together could tear apart their family–and their world–for good.]]> 384 Akshaya Raman 0358468337 Kundan 5 3.73 2022 The Ivory Key (The Ivory Key Duology, #1)

The Ivory Key (The Ivory Key Duology, #1)

author: Akshaya Raman
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky, #1)]]> 53543063 From the New York Times bestselling author of Star Resistance Reborn comes a new epic fantasy of the great matriarchal clans of a prosperous cliff-city and its fight for survival against invasion, political intrigue, and dark celestial prophecies.]]> 461 Rebecca Roanhorse 153443769X Kundan 5 4.31 2020 Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky, #1)

author: Rebecca Roanhorse
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/10/08
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold]]> 54698746
A young businesswoman attempts a great leap in her company, and an even greater one in her love life.

A powerful Ghanaian spokeswoman is forced to decide whether she should uphold her family’s politics or be true to her heart.

In her debut collection, internationally acclaimed writer Bolu Babalola retells the most beautiful love stories from history and mythology with incredible new detail and vivacity. Focusing on the magical folktales of West Africa, Babalola also reimagines Greek myths, ancient legends from the Middle East, and stories from long-erased places.

With an eye towards decolonizing tropes inherent in our favorite tales of love, Babalola has created captivating stories that traverse across perspectives, continents, and genres.]]> 290 Bolu Babalola 006307849X Kundan 5 4.00 2020 Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold

Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold

author: Bolu Babalola
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/10/08
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves:
review:

]]> The House of Justice 60379560 A young girl, a widowed father, a vanishing butler, and a cat that comes and goes as it pleases- no one is whom they claimed to be.
What happens to the couple when the house of justice determines their fate?]]> 28 Srivalli Rekha Kundan 0 to-read 4.50

author: Srivalli Rekha
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Surviving Sky (Rages, #1) 153591718
High above a jungle-planet float the last refuges of humanity—plant-made civilizations held together by tradition, technology, and arcane science. Here, architects are revered deeply, with humanity’s survival reliant on a privileged few. If not for their abilities, the cities would plunge into the devastating earthrage storms below.

Charismatic and powerful, Iravan is one such architect. His abilities are his identity, but to Ahilya, his archeologist wife, they are a method to suppress non-architects. Their marriage is thorny and fraught—yet when a jungle expedition goes terribly wrong, jeopardizing their careers, Ahilya and Iravan must work together to save their reputations. But as their city begins to plummet, their discoveries threaten not only their marriage, but their entire civilization.]]> 521 Kritika H. Rao 1803361247 Kundan 5
Who it's for:
1. People who like to read diverse mind-bending science fantasy stories about Consciousness, past lives and reincarnation centered around the topic of climate change, climate justice and difficult relationships.

2. People who like to read about marital conflict in which the conflict is not because of adultery, violence or abuse but around our visions of the future, especially about the very planet itself, and how it impacts your relationship. That said, there is a power play move near the beginning that shows domination that might be triggering for some.

3. People who want to read about intricate magic systems in which the story is deeply tied into the magic system itself and the relationship conflict that creates. I say this because in some fantasy stories, the magic feels like just an afterthought, like you could have told the story without the magic system at all. This is not that kind of story. The magic system is deeply embedded into this story.

4. People who want to decolonize from the Abrahamic Supremacist Good Evil False Binary and the Savior Complex.

5. People who don't mind reading with absolute focus, attention and presence because otherwise it might get confusing for you. That is, it's not the story to listen to if you are driving and you just want to "zone out".

Who it's not for:
1. People who want to read easy cozy stories that don't require much attention.

2. People who want to read about every detail of a character such as their hobbies and what they eat, etc..yes it's a character driven story but not THAT kind.

3.. People who to read "diverse books" but still want it to be Abrahamic Supremacist or Imperialist, just with Black or Brown faces. I call this "diversifying oppression" instead of actually dismantling it.

4. Westernized people with colonial mindsets and epistemological privilege who find it hard to read non-Westerm non-Abrahamic stories.

Overall, this is a wonderful read but definitely NOT for everyone.]]> 3.53 2023 The Surviving Sky (Rages, #1)

author: Kritika H. Rao
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves:
review:
I am writing this review in the following format:

Who it's for:
1. People who like to read diverse mind-bending science fantasy stories about Consciousness, past lives and reincarnation centered around the topic of climate change, climate justice and difficult relationships.

2. People who like to read about marital conflict in which the conflict is not because of adultery, violence or abuse but around our visions of the future, especially about the very planet itself, and how it impacts your relationship. That said, there is a power play move near the beginning that shows domination that might be triggering for some.

3. People who want to read about intricate magic systems in which the story is deeply tied into the magic system itself and the relationship conflict that creates. I say this because in some fantasy stories, the magic feels like just an afterthought, like you could have told the story without the magic system at all. This is not that kind of story. The magic system is deeply embedded into this story.

4. People who want to decolonize from the Abrahamic Supremacist Good Evil False Binary and the Savior Complex.

5. People who don't mind reading with absolute focus, attention and presence because otherwise it might get confusing for you. That is, it's not the story to listen to if you are driving and you just want to "zone out".

Who it's not for:
1. People who want to read easy cozy stories that don't require much attention.

2. People who want to read about every detail of a character such as their hobbies and what they eat, etc..yes it's a character driven story but not THAT kind.

3.. People who to read "diverse books" but still want it to be Abrahamic Supremacist or Imperialist, just with Black or Brown faces. I call this "diversifying oppression" instead of actually dismantling it.

4. Westernized people with colonial mindsets and epistemological privilege who find it hard to read non-Westerm non-Abrahamic stories.

Overall, this is a wonderful read but definitely NOT for everyone.
]]> <![CDATA[The Principle of Moments (Order of Legends #1)]]> 57385927 A century-spanning space fantasy novel that will take you on a whirlwind adventure, from a Regency Era love affair between a time-traveller and the prince waiting for him in the past, to a rescue mission in the 60th century, where a girl desperately races against time as she searches for the sister the emperor stole.

6066: In Emperor Thracin’s brave new galaxy, humans are not citizens. Instead, they are indentured labourers, working to repay the debt they unwittingly incurred when they settled on Gahraan - a desert planet already owned by the emperor himself. Asha Akindele knows she’s just another voiceless cog working the assembly lines that fuel his vast imperial war machine. Her only rebellion: studying stolen aeronautics manuals in the dead of night. But then a cloaked stranger arrives to deliver an impossible message, and her life changes in an instant.

1812: Obi Amadi is done with time-travelling. Never mind the fact he doesn’t know how to cure himself of the temporal sickness he caught whilst anchoring his soul to Regency London, the one that unmakes him further with every jump. Or if the prince he loves will ever love him back. Or why his father disappeared. He is done. Until he hears about the ghost of a girl in the British Museum. A girl from another time.

When Obi’s path tangles with Asha’s and a prophecy awakens in the cold darkness of space, they must voyage through the stars, racing against time, tyranny, and the legacy of three heroes from an ancient religion who may be awakening, reincarnated in ways beyond comprehension.]]> 432 Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson 1473234220 Kundan 0 to-read 3.64 2024 The Principle of Moments (Order of Legends #1)

The Principle of Moments (Order of Legends #1)

author: Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Joyful Productivity for Solopreneurs: Gentle Practices for Consistent Creativity, Wellbeing and Deep Meaning in Work]]> 60475590
In this 2nd edition of the book, there are 9 new

1. Do Your Work from an Inner Spark of Joy
5. Define Your Daily Success
7. The Energy Reboot (new version)
8. Be Strict about Showing Up, Lenient about the Results
11. Sleep Tips �� Falling and Staying Asleep
13. When You’re Feeling “Not Ready�� to Put Your Work Out There��
14. Get Unstuck by Asking Smaller Questions
16. Uninspired but Willing
24. A Conscious Life Requires Reflection Time

En-joy this new edition!]]> 149 George Kao Kundan 0 4.38 Joyful Productivity for Solopreneurs: Gentle Practices for Consistent Creativity, Wellbeing and Deep Meaning in Work

Joyful Productivity for Solopreneurs: Gentle Practices for Consistent Creativity, Wellbeing and Deep Meaning in Work

author: George Kao
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2023/02/08
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Authentic Selling, 2nd Edition: How to Gain New Clients Through Connection, Caring, and Service (Authentic Business for Soulpreneurs Book 4)]]> 95585135 116 George Kao Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.33 Authentic Selling, 2nd Edition: How to Gain New Clients Through Connection, Caring, and Service (Authentic Business for Soulpreneurs Book 4)

Authentic Selling, 2nd Edition: How to Gain New Clients Through Connection, Caring, and Service (Authentic Business for Soulpreneurs Book 4)

author: George Kao
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The Alchemist 865 197 Paulo Coelho 0061122416 Kundan 1 3.85 1988

author: Paulo Coelho
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.85
book published: 1988
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2025/01/12
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]]> Veronika Decides to Die 216950113 The Alchemist addresses the fundamental questions asked by millions: What am I doing here today? and Why do I go on living?

]]> 285 Paulo Coelho 0061124265 Kundan 4 3.85 1998 Veronika Decides to Die

author: Paulo Coelho
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.85
book published: 1998
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/01/12
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review:

]]> Brida 6085408 256 Paulo Coelho 0061578959 Kundan 1 3.49 1990 Brida

author: Paulo Coelho
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.49
book published: 1990
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2025/01/12
shelves:
review:

]]> Night Sky with Exit Wounds 30245389 Night Sky with Exit Wounds is a book of poetry unlike any other. Steeped in war and cultural upheaval and wielding a fresh new language, Vuong writes about the most profound subjects �� love and loss, conflict, grief, memory and desire �� and attends to them all with lines that feel newly-minted, graceful in their cadences, passionate and hungry in their tender, close attention: ‘…the chief of police/facedown in a pool of Coca-Cola./A palm-sized photo of his father soaking/beside his left ear.�� This is an unusual, important book: both gentle and visceral, vulnerable and assured, and its blend of humanity and power make it one of the best first collections of poetry to come out of America in years.

‘These are poems of exquisite beauty, unashamed of romance, and undaunted by looking directly into the horrors of war, the silences of history. One of the most important debut collections for a generation.�� Andrew McMillan]]> 93 Ocean Vuong Kundan 0 4.05 2016 Night Sky with Exit Wounds

author: Ocean Vuong
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at: 2022/07/15
date added: 2024/10/16
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Idea: The Seven Elements of a Viable Story for Screen, Stage or Fiction]]> 41720461 228 Erik Bork 1732753008 Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.24 2018

The Idea: The Seven Elements of a Viable Story for Screen, Stage or Fiction

author: Erik Bork
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Proof: A 40-Day Program for Embodying Oneness]]> 19906466 265 James F. Twyman 140192672X Kundan 0 to-read 3.57 2009

The Proof: A 40-Day Program for Embodying Oneness

author: James F. Twyman
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South]]> 43803602 A bold and searing investigation into the role of white women in the American slave economy

Bridging women’s history, the history of the South, and African American history, this book makes a bold argument about the role of white women in American slavery. Historian Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers draws on a variety of sources to show that slave-owning women were sophisticated economic actors who directly engaged in and benefited from the South’s slave market. Because women typically inherited more slaves than land, enslaved people were often their primary source of wealth. Not only did white women often refuse to cede ownership of their slaves to their husbands, they employed management techniques that were as effective and brutal as those used by slave-owning men. White women actively participated in the slave market, profited from it, and used it for economic and social empowerment. By examining the economically entangled lives of enslaved people and slave-owning women, Jones-Rogers presents a narrative that forces us to rethink the economics and social conventions of slaveholding America.]]> 322 Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers 0300245106 Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.25 2019 They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South

They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South

author: Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Geopolitics Decoding Intents, Narratives, Lies and Future]]> 153032847 498 K. Siddhartha Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.43

Geopolitics Decoding Intents, Narratives, Lies and Future

author: K. Siddhartha
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.43
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/07
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Thinking, Fast and Slow 12385458 Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman, the renowned psychologist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think.

System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. The impact of overconfidence on corporate strategies, the difficulties of predicting what will make us happy in the future, the profound effect of cognitive biases on everything from playing the stock market to planning our next vacation—each of these can be understood only by knowing how the two systems shape our judgments and decisions.

Engaging the reader in a lively conversation about how we think, Kahneman reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. He offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives—and how we can use different techniques to guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble. Winner of the National Academy of Sciences Best Book Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and selected by The New York Times Book Review as one of the ten best books of 2011, Thinking, Fast and Slow is destined to be a classic.]]> 512 Daniel Kahneman 1429969350 Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.20 2011

author: Daniel Kahneman
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Snakes in the Ganga: Breaking India 2.0]]> 63039211 1112 Rajiv Malhotra Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.30

author: Rajiv Malhotra
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.30
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Those Beyond the Wall (The Space Between Worlds, #2)]]> 58257069
Scales is the best at what she does. She is an enforcer who keeps the peace in Ashtown; a rough, climate-ravaged desert town. But that fragile peace is fractured when a woman is mangled and killed within Ash's borders, right in front of Scales's eyes. Even more incomprehensible is that there was seemingly no murderer.

When more mutilated bodies start to turn up, both in Ashtown and in the wealthier, walled-off Wiley City, Scales is tasked with finding the cause—and putting an end to it. She teams up with a frustratingly by-the-books partner and a brusque-but-brilliant scientist in order to uncover the truth, delving into both worlds to track down the invisible killer. But what they find points to something bigger and more corrupt than they could've ever foreseen—and it could spell doom for the entire world.]]> 384 Micaiah Johnson 0593497511 Kundan 0 to-read 4.01 2024 Those Beyond the Wall (The Space Between Worlds, #2)

Those Beyond the Wall (The Space Between Worlds, #2)

author: Micaiah Johnson
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Light From Uncommon Stars 57021245
Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six. When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka's ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She's found her final candidate. But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn't have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan's kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul's worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline. As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]> 384 Ryka Aoki 1250789079 Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.21 2021 Light From Uncommon Stars

author: Ryka Aoki
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/15
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Narada Bhakti Sutra 40656342 Chinmayananda Saraswati (8 May 1916 3 August 1993), also known as Swami Chinmayananda and born Balakrishnan Menon, was an Indian spiritual leader and teacher who inspired the formation of Chinmaya Mission in 1953 to spread the message of Vedanta. The organization, which was founded by his disciples and led by him, has over 300 centers in India and internationally.[1] And he is the Co Founder of Vishva Hindu Parishad Largest Hindu Origination He was a disciple of Sivananda Saraswati at Rishikesh, who founded the Divine Life Society. He was later advised by Sivananda to study under Tapovan Maharaj in Uttarkashi in the Himalayas]]> 216 Narada Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.82 1945 Narada Bhakti Sutra

author: Narada
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.82
book published: 1945
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/16
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Hidden Gems (J.A. Joshi's Mahabharat Book 6)]]> 19229967 25 J.A. Joshi Kundan 0 to-read 4.40 2013

Hidden Gems (J.A. Joshi's Mahabharat Book 6)

author: J.A. Joshi
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/04/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Follow The Cowherd Boy 1854912 394 J.A. Joshi 1412086264 Kundan 0 to-read 4.29 2006

author: J.A. Joshi
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/04/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Burnout Recovery: 15 techniques to overcome chronic stress, regain control, restore your energy and your focus]]> 61880630 Has burnout left you feeling exhausted, trapped, angry, and overwhelmed? Then it’s time you beat it by following these practical strategies��

First reported in the 1970s, burnout has always been seen as the result of workplace stress, to the point where you’ve exhausted yourself physically and emotionally.

According to a survey by Mental Health America and FlexJobs, 75% of employees reported burnout from work, leading to lack of interest, work-related stress, fatigue, and emotional exhaustion.

But there is a sinister turn to burnout that often goes it punctures your life from within.

In your quest to stand out, become successful, stay socially relevant, and impress those around you, you end up sandwiching yourself. When this pressure manifests as burnout, it derails your life.

Think about the times when you’ve

Stressed, unfocused, and tired with your jobEmotionally drained, uninterested, and even bitter towards your personal relationshipsA lack of motivation and inflating self-doubt that keeps you from livingAnd no matter how many breaks or medications you take, you cannot uproot these problems that burnout leaves behind.

However, combating this psychological epidemic doesn’t require you to be superhuman.

In fact, recovering from burnout doesn’t even have to be complicated.

And the first step is to look within��

In this detailed burnout recovery guide, you will

5 critical life skills with practical guidelines to help aid in your recoveryA thorough understanding of burnout and its related conditions, as well as its warning signsThe 5 stages of burnout and how each stage manifests behaviorally and psychologicallyThe real reason why you’re burning out (and how your individual differences and experiences might be contributing to it)A DIY quiz to help you assess your situation and see your progressStrategies to help you with social situations and relationships in order to keep burnout at bayHow self-care can help you break out of the cycle of burnout and find true happiness in life (with actionable steps to help you make a lifetime of good habits)And much more.

Burnout doesn’t have to dominate and influence every sphere of your life �� but in order to overcome it, you have to first start with yourself.

Self-care involving good habits and a perspective that promotes personal growth, happiness, and health can help you distance yourself from this burnout epidemic and restore yourself from within.

If you’re ready to beat burnout for good and live a balanced lifestyle, then scroll up and click “Add to Cart�� right now.]]> 144 Amber Pierce Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.00 Burnout Recovery: 15 techniques to overcome chronic stress, regain control, restore your energy and your focus

Burnout Recovery: 15 techniques to overcome chronic stress, regain control, restore your energy and your focus

author: Amber Pierce
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/03/16
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Yoga Nidra Scripts: 22 Meditations for Effortless Relaxation, Rejuvenation and Reconnection]]> 56150973
CalmingBalancingGroundingEnergizingSelf-loveAwakening intuitionShifting into new seasonsPlanting seeds for personal growthDiscovering the SelfAnd moreFrom short and sweet “anytime�� scripts perfect for the final relaxation of a yoga class or healing treatment, to full-length visualization journeys, Yoga Nidra Scripts is an enduring resource you’ll reach for again and again.

“So good, and timely�� A must-have resource�� and one I keep reaching for.�� Ashley Petrovsky, RYT 500

“A rich and varied assortment of eloquently written scripts�� accessible to modern practitioners yet drawn from time-honored lineages.�� Aiyana Athenian, Co-Founder of ShivaShakti School of Yoga

“Beautifully written and easy to follow�� highly recommend.�� Kristina Wooldridge, RYT 500

“I got rave reviews with the scripts! I’ve been teaching yoga for many years, and feel confident that these scripts will be useful for many more years to come.�� Aruna Kathy Humphrys, Lead Trainer at Young Yoga Masters and Ambassador Yoga

Tamara Verma (Tamara Skyhawk), has been practicing, teaching and writing about yoga for the past 20 years. With experience as a yoga studio owner, and teacher trainer for one of India’s most prominent yoga schools, she branched out to open her own yoga school with her husband Rahul. She’s developed seven unique Yoga Teacher Training programs, including a Yoga Nidra course. You can learn more about her and her courses on her website.]]> 243 Tamara Skyhawk 1777488818 Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.10 Yoga Nidra Scripts: 22 Meditations for Effortless Relaxation, Rejuvenation and Reconnection

Yoga Nidra Scripts: 22 Meditations for Effortless Relaxation, Rejuvenation and Reconnection

author: Tamara Skyhawk
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.10
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/02/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Art of Contemplation 40721721 46 Chinmayananda Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.78 1998

author: Chinmayananda
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.78
book published: 1998
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/02/04
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Read People Like a Book: How to Analyze, Understand, and Predict People’s Emotions, Thoughts, Intentions, and Behaviors]]> 56199402 Speed read people, decipher body language, detect lies, and understand human nature.Is it possible to analyze people without them saying a word? Yes, it is. Learn how to become a “mind reader�� and forge deep connections.How to get inside people’s heads without them knowing.Read People Like a Book isn’t a normal book on body language of facial expressions. Yes, it includes all of those things, as well as new techniques on how to truly detect lies in your everyday life, but this book is more about understanding human psychology and nature. We are who we are because of our experiences and pasts, and this guides our habits and behaviors more than anything else. Parts of this book read like the most interesting and applicable psychology textbook you’ve ever read. Take a look inside yourself and others!Understand the subtle signals that you are sending out and increase your emotional intelligence.Patrick King is an internationally bestselling author and social skills coach. His writing draws of a variety of sources, from scientific research, academic experience, coaching, and real life experience.Learn the keys to influencing and persuading others.•What people’s limbs can tell us about their emotions.��Why lie detecting isn’t so reliable when ignoring context.•Diagnosing personality as a means to understanding motivation.��Deducing the most with the least amount of information.•Exactly the kinds of eye contact to use and avoidFind shortcuts to connect quickly and deeply with strangers.The art of reading and analyzing people is truly the art of understanding human nature. Consider it like a cheat code that will allow you to see through people’s actions and words.Decode people’s thoughts and intentions, and you can go in any direction you want with them.]]> 277 Patrick King Kundan 0 currently-reading 3.44 Read People Like a Book: How to Analyze, Understand, and Predict People’s Emotions, Thoughts, Intentions, and Behaviors

Read People Like a Book: How to Analyze, Understand, and Predict People’s Emotions, Thoughts, Intentions, and Behaviors

author: Patrick King
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.44
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/02/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Master Your Emotions: A Practical Guide to Overcome Negativity and Better Manage Your Feelings (Mastery Series Book 1)]]> 40078926
…about your thoughts?

Do you have a bias toward the negative?

Understanding how negative feelings and emotions work is the first step. Then we must learn how to reprogram those emotions and turn them around. A happier life is possible if you follow the steps.

This program works.

Over 300,000 copies sold.

“It gives me a place to go to that makes me feel better about my present situation and gives me hope for the future.�� - Kimberly

“My biggest take away so far (I'm not yet finished with the entire book) is that I am NOT my emotions. Emotions come and I - I still am who I am!�� - Itzel

�۴ǳ�’l��

31 simple coping strategies How to make your emotions work FOR you. A formula to reprogram your mind A free downloadable workbook, and much, much more!The author was an introvert whose shyness kept him from getting the results in life he wanted. When he decided to devote his life to betterment, everything changed. This is his story and how he found joy.

It will be the blueprint for your transformation, too.

�۴ǳ�’l�� love this practical, no frills program, because the results are easy to achieve once you’ve decided to Master Your Emotions.

Get it now.]]> 215 Thibaut Meurisse Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.13 2018 Master Your Emotions: A Practical Guide to Overcome Negativity and Better Manage Your Feelings (Mastery Series Book 1)

Master Your Emotions: A Practical Guide to Overcome Negativity and Better Manage Your Feelings (Mastery Series Book 1)

author: Thibaut Meurisse
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Master Your Destiny: A Practical Guide to Rewrite Your Story and Become the Person You Want to Be (Mastery Series Book 4)]]> 49181178
If so, Master Your Destiny is for you.

Author and coach, Thibaut Meurisse, wants you to be the hero of your story. In his latest book, you’ll learn a step-by-step method to replace disempowering thought patterns with empowering ones so that you can finally become the person you want to be.

In Master Your Destiny, you’ll the story you tell yourself prevents you from living the life you wantWhy your current story is fiction (and how to replace it with a better one)Five powerful models of reality that will transform your outlook on lifeHow to design an empowering environment that brings the best out of youAnd much more.Master Your Destiny is your must-read guide to empower yourself and become the master of your destiny. If you like easy-to-understand strategies, practical exercises, and no-nonsense teaching, you will love this book.

Buy Master Your Destiny today and change your destiny.]]> 205 Thibaut Meurisse Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.27 Master Your Destiny: A Practical Guide to Rewrite Your Story and Become the Person You Want to Be (Mastery Series Book 4)

Master Your Destiny: A Practical Guide to Rewrite Your Story and Become the Person You Want to Be (Mastery Series Book 4)

author: Thibaut Meurisse
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.27
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Can't Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes & Tea Cozy Fantasies, #1)]]> 62593527 "You like tea. I like books. Care to open a shop and forget the world exists?"

All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters�� all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn’t so easy.

But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility–all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town nestled in the icy tundra of dragon country, and open the shop of their dreams.

What follows is a cozy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a murderous queen throwing the realm’s biggest temper tantrum. In a story brimming with hurt/comfort and quiet fireside conversations, these two women will discover just what they mean to each other�� and the world.]]> 345 Rebecca Thorne Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.04 2022 Can't Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes & Tea Cozy Fantasies, #1)

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes & Tea Cozy Fantasies, #1)

author: Rebecca Thorne
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/01/15
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]]> <![CDATA[Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers, #1)]]> 20426102
Now, sealed in human form and banished to the DFZ--a vertical metropolis built on the ruins of Old Detroit--Julius has one month to prove that he can be a ruthless dragon or kiss his true shape goodbye forever. But in a city of modern mages and vengeful spirits where dragons are considered monsters to be exterminated, he’s going to need some serious help to survive this test.

He only hopes humans are more trustworthy than dragons...]]> 287 Rachel Aaron 1952367379 Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.11 2014 Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers, #1)

Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers, #1)

author: Rachel Aaron
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2014
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/01/15
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]]> <![CDATA[How to Write a Love Letter (J.A. Joshi's Mahabharat Book 8)]]> 23210334 46 J.A. Joshi Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.33 2014

How to Write a Love Letter (J.A. Joshi's Mahabharat Book 8)

author: J.A. Joshi
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2014
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/01/14
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]]> Hindu Love Stories 60392906
We think of love stories as those that end happily-ever-after. But thousands of years ago, in ancient India, love was understood in a different way �� as one of the four aims of life, as a means for spiritual growth, as a celebration of the play of the Divine. As something profound, beautiful, and sometimes elusive.

The sacred texts of Hinduism are populated with astonishing stories of love between gods and goddesses, between mortals and celestial beings, between sages and saints and ordinary humans. Not just ancient lore, these iconic stories have come to define one of the oldest continuous living civilizations and cultures in the world.

This book takes more than 25 stories from the Itithaasa and Puranas, the epic literature of ancient India, as well as stories from history that exemplify the many different aspects and dimensions of love. These stories were transmitted over thousands of years until they became part of the memory of a people. These stories teach us how to find love, how to rise through love, and how to become better through love.

Here you will find --]]> 240 Aditi Banerjee Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.57 Hindu Love Stories

author: Aditi Banerjee
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.57
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date added: 2023/01/14
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]]> <![CDATA[How to Be Nice to Yourself: The Everyday Guide to Self-Compassion: Effective Strategies to Increase Self-Love and Acceptance]]> 46025526
Today’s the day to start loving yourself. How to Be Nice to Yourself makes it simple to start practicing self compassion with a wide variety of techniques and strategies that anyone can learn.

Filled with easy-to-use advice drawn from a variety of sources—including meditation, mindfulness, and acceptance and commitment therapy—this book will help you find the right way to start feeling good about yourself.

How to Be Nice to The Everyday Guide to Self Compassion

Proven Strategies—Learn a variety of ways to practice self compassion daily—with meditations, writing exercises, and more.Practical Advice—Bring self compassion to your thoughts, emotions, and actions with exercises that can easily be applied to your daily life.Personalized Approach—Customize your self compassion practice with a personalized plan based on what matters to you and the kind of changes you want to see. Start loving yourself with the techniques that work best for you. �۴ǳ�’l�� discover them in How to be Nice to The Everyday Guide to Self Compassion.]]> 172 Laura Silberstein-Tirch 1641522623 Kundan 0 currently-reading 3.59 How to Be Nice to Yourself: The Everyday Guide to Self-Compassion: Effective Strategies to Increase Self-Love and Acceptance

How to Be Nice to Yourself: The Everyday Guide to Self-Compassion: Effective Strategies to Increase Self-Love and Acceptance

author: Laura Silberstein-Tirch
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.59
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/01/12
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]]> <![CDATA[Where the Forest Meets the Stars]]> 41818297
After the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises.

The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child’s home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay—just until she learns more about Ursa’s past.

Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren’t Jo and Gabe checking the missing children’s website anymore?

Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars.]]> 333 Glendy Vanderah 1503959910 Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.29 2019 Where the Forest Meets the Stars

author: Glendy Vanderah
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/01/12
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]]> Hope Riot 61812264
HOPE RIOT brings 7 stories from across the sci-fi and fantasy spectrums under a banner of hopepunk and hopeful to inject light and fight in a world that seems to be darkening.

With stories from:
Cheyenne L. Campbell
Dorothy Dreyer, USA Today Bestselling Author
Janina Franck
Jessica Gunn
Xan van Rooyen
Jody Neil Ruth
Fahim Sheikh]]> Cheyenne L. Campbell Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.75 Hope Riot

author: Cheyenne L. Campbell
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.75
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/01/12
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]]> <![CDATA[Narada Bhakti Sutras: Swami Vivekananda's Insights into the Path of Divine Love and Devotion]]> 54015406
As you immerse yourself in the pages, experience Swami Vivekananda's profound interpretations. This book is not just a commentary; it's a spiritual journey that takes readers through the essence of Narada Bhakti Sutras, unveiling the wisdom and practices that lead to the path of devotion.This isn't just a book on spirituality; it's a guide for seekers on the path of divine love. Swami Vivekananda's interpretations invite readers to explore the principles of Bhakti, fostering a deeper understanding of the transformative power of devotion in one's spiritual journey.

Now, as you explore “Narada Bhakti Sutras�� by Swami Vivekananda, you ready to embark on a spiritual journey and explore the profound teachings of Narada Bhakti Sutras? This book is not just a philosophical discourse; it's an invitation to dive into the ocean of divine love and devotion, as interpreted by the enlightened perspective of Swami Vivekananda.

Open the pages, and let “Narada Bhakti Swami Vivekananda's Insights�� be your guide, where Swami Vivekananda's wisdom serves as a beacon, illuminating the path of divine love and devotion for spiritual seekers.Whether you are on a spiritual quest, seeking guidance on the path of devotion, or interested in the profound teachings of Narada Bhakti Sutras, this book offers a valuable resource to deepen your understanding and practice of Bhakti.

Narada Bhakti Sutras by Swami Vivekananda is a profound exploration of the path of devotion (bhakti) as outlined in the ancient text attributed to the sage Narada. Vivekananda offers insights into the nature of divine love, the qualities of a true devotee, and the transformative power of devotion in spiritual evolution.

Key Vivekananda delves into the essence of bhakti, emphasizing the role of love, devotion, and surrender in establishing a profound connection with the divine, highlighting the path of devotion as a universal and accessible means of spiritual realization. The book explores various aspects of devotion, including the different types of devotees, the qualities that define a true devotee, and the practices that cultivate and deepen one's love and devotion towards the divine, providing readers with practical guidance on the path of bhakti. Narada Bhakti Sutras serves as an inspirational and insightful text for spiritual seekers, offering profound teachings on the power of devotion, the transformative potential of love, and the path to experiencing divine communion, inviting readers to embark on a journey of heartfelt devotion and spiritual awakening.]]> 53 Vivekananda Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.40 Narada Bhakti Sutras: Swami Vivekananda's Insights into the Path of Divine Love and Devotion

Narada Bhakti Sutras: Swami Vivekananda's Insights into the Path of Divine Love and Devotion

author: Vivekananda
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.40
book published:
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date added: 2023/01/02
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]]> Art of God Symbolism 50399577
In this collection of essays, Pujya Swami Chinmayananda gives us a glimpse of the deeper meanings, behind the familiar images of Hindu culture and helps us to decipher the pointers to the realm of Infinite.]]> 57 Chinmayananda Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.50 2000 Art of God Symbolism

author: Chinmayananda
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2000
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/01/02
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]]> <![CDATA[Dark Psychology and Manipulation: Learn the Most Effective Manipulation & Brainwashing Techniques to Protect Yourself from Manipulation and Analyze People with The Art of Persuasion & Mind Control]]> 58716027 Do you want to find out how people can influence others using manipulation, persuasion and mind control techniques?Do you want to understand how to open your mind to the limitless possibilities of dark human psychology and understand how your brain works?Or are you interested in unmasking the world of dark psychology and making sure you never fall victim to harmful people again?To learn how all of this is possible, read on...Dark Psychology and Manipulation, through the techniques and the most hidden secrets of manipulation and persuasion, will show you the hidden side of the dark human psychology.This book is the guide you need to keep your life under your direct control, master your emotions, and no longer be a victim of harmful people.Dark Psychology studies and exposes the emotions, feelings and beliefs that contribute to the actions of human predators.Mental manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the behavior or perception of others through indirect, deceptive and devious tricks, promoting the interests of the manipulator, often at the expense of another.In the book you will

�� How to Defend Yourself from People Who Practice Dark Psychology and Manipulative Techniques

�� Skills to Develop for Excellent Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication

�� How Your Gestures and Posture Affect the People Around You

�� The Techniques of Persuasion That You Can Use in Your Daily Life

�� How to Recognize Signs of Latent Narcissism in You or Other People

And So Much More...With this book in your hands, you will be able to effectively keep these three types of people at Psychopathic, Machiavellian and Narcissistic, without necessarily cutting contacts.You will learn to deal with harmful people without being the victim anymore.This book instead gives you the correct and necessary information on how to deal with someone who cannot be avoided and how to keep them at a safe distance and not allow them to cross borders.Even if you've always been shy and reserved, you'll be able to influence others and stop anyone from manipulating you!If you want to transform your life, discover the secrets of the human mind and influence it, all you have to do is follow the guides and practical advice that you will find in this book.What are you waiting for?

Swipe up to click BUY NOW and start harnessing the Power of Manipulation and Dark Psychology!]]> 111 Patrick Norwood Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.00 Dark Psychology and Manipulation: Learn the Most Effective Manipulation & Brainwashing Techniques to Protect Yourself from Manipulation and Analyze People with The Art of Persuasion & Mind Control

Dark Psychology and Manipulation: Learn the Most Effective Manipulation & Brainwashing Techniques to Protect Yourself from Manipulation and Analyze People with The Art of Persuasion & Mind Control

author: Patrick Norwood
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/10/30
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]]> <![CDATA[The Persuasion Code: How Neuromarketing Can Help You Persuade Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime]]> 41840575 The Persuasion Code

Capture, convince, and close—scientifically Most of your attempts to persuade are doomed to fail because the brains of your audience automatically reject messages that disrupt their attention. This book makes the complex science of persuasion simple. Learn to develop better marketing and sales messages based on a scientific model; NeuroMap��. Regardless of your level of expertise in marketing, neuromarketing, neuroscience or The Persuasion How Neuromarketing Can Help You Persuade Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime will make your personal and business lives more successful by unveiling a credible and practical approach towards creating a breakthrough persuasion strategy.

This book will satisfy your interest in neuromarketing, scientific persuasion, sales, advertising effectiveness, website conversion, marketing strategy and sales presentations. It’ll teach you the value of the award-winning persuasion model NeuroMapTM : the only model based on the science of how your customers use their brain to make any decision including a buying decision. You will appreciate why this scientific approach has helped hundreds of companies and thousands of executives achieve remarkable results.

Written by the founders of SalesBrain who pioneered the field of neuromarketing SalesBrain has trained more than 100,000 executives worldwide including over 15,000 CEO Includes guidance for creating your own neuromarketing plan Advance your business or career by creating persuasive messages based on the working principle of the brain.]]> 356 Christophe Morin Kundan 0 currently-reading 3.92 The Persuasion Code: How Neuromarketing Can Help You Persuade Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime

The Persuasion Code: How Neuromarketing Can Help You Persuade Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime

author: Christophe Morin
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.92
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/10/24
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]]> We Are the Scribes 58484197
Ruth Fitz is surrounded by activism. Her mother is a senator who frequently appears on CNN as a powerful Black voice fighting for legislative social change within the Black community. Her father, a professor of African American history, is a walking encyclopedia, spouting off random dates and events. And her beloved older sister, Virginia, is a natural activist, steadily gaining notoriety within the community and on social media. Ruth, on the other hand, would rather sit quietly reading or writing in her journal.

When her family is rocked by tragedy, Ruth stops writing. As life goes on, Ruth’s mother is presented with a political opportunity she can’t refuse. Just as Senator Fitz is more absent, Ruth begins receiving parchment letters with a seal reading WE ARE THE SCRIBES, sent by Harriet Jacobs, the author of the autobiography and 1861 American classic, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl .

Is Ruth dreaming? How has she been chosen as a “scribe�� when she can barely put a sentence together? In a narrative that blends present with past, Randi Pink explores two extraordinary characters who channel their hopelessness and find their voices to make history.]]> 304 Randi Pink 1250820316 Kundan 0 to-read 4.19 2022 We Are the Scribes

author: Randi Pink
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/10/19
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]]> <![CDATA[Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and in Life)]]> 42280533 Surrounded by Idiots shares a groundbreaking new method of understanding the people around you that will change how you interact with everyone from your coworkers to your spouse.

Author Thomas Erikson explains that there are four key behavior types that define how we interact with and perceive the people around us. Understanding someone’s pattern of behavior is the key to successful communication. Erikson breaks down the four kinds of behavior types—Reds who are dominant and commanding, Yellows who are social and optimistic, Greens who are laid back and friendly, and Blues who are analytical and precise—and explains how to identify and interact with each type of person. Instead of being bogged down with overly technical categorizations, the simple four color system allows you to speedily identify a friend or coworker and adjust how you speak and share with them.

Surrounded by Idiots is full of practical information for interacting with people based on their color, including the strengths and weaknesses of all the profiles, how to give positive and negative feedback to each, and the best way to word an email when writing to someone with a different profile.]]> 292 Thomas Erikson 1250179955 Kundan 0 currently-reading 3.77 2014 Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and in Life)

Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and in Life)

author: Thomas Erikson
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2014
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/10/16
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]]> <![CDATA[Honest Sex: A Passionate Path to Deepen Connection and Keep Relationships Alive]]> 62909578
Honest Sex teaches us what kind of honesty is effective for creating closeness, what sex actually is (rather than what we've been taught), and how to communicate desires and upsets to create more intimacy. By examining new ways to sustain connection with a partner, author Shana James illuminates a framework for relationships to start strong and get more intimate and exciting over time.

James is the creator and host of the Man Alive podcast and has a TEDx Talk, “What 1,000 Men's Tears Reveal About the Crisis Between Men and Women.�� As a relationship coach for 20 years, she humbly discovered the causes of disconnection and distrust in relationships, as well as how to build trust and keep passion alive. Her first book, Power and A Man's Guide to Becoming a Confident and Satisfied Lover and Leader, supports men to be fulfilled in love and work. In this book, written for all genders, she uses her Master’s in psychology, DISC, and Positive Intelligence certifications to guide readers to create more honest and passionate romantic relationships.]]> 249 Shana James M.A. Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.44 Honest Sex: A Passionate Path to Deepen Connection and Keep Relationships Alive

Honest Sex: A Passionate Path to Deepen Connection and Keep Relationships Alive

author: Shana James M.A.
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.44
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rating: 0
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date added: 2022/10/09
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]]> <![CDATA[With Fangs and Claws (The Wolf Queen, #1)]]> 60800650 One girl, two lives. Dutiful daughter of the Duke of Elverston on the one hand, a wilful girl who learns to fight on the other. Her father has let her run wild, as long as she never embarrasses him. And if she does? Consequences are likely to be swift and brutal.

Her beasts
The wargen are fierce men who wear two faces, one wolf, one human. They’re the monsters mothers warn their children about in Grania, and now four wargen princes have been sent there to strike a deal with the duke. But when they catch sight of the wild Darcy everything changes. They may dress in fine furs and gold but their feral natures persist. Instead of chasing down prey, they pursue Darcy with all the same deadly intensity.

Their world
The wargen think their union with Darcy is written in the stars but she is something far older and far stranger than any of them could ever imagine. Something both countries are going to need, because while each realm focuses their distrust on the other, they ignore a far greater danger that lies beneath. If the wargen can’t get past Darcy’s defences, they might not just lose their mate, but everything.

Author note: this is a NA fantasy romance that takes place in a fantasy realm that has nothing to do with our own.]]> 458 Sam Hall Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.25 2022 With Fangs and Claws (The Wolf Queen, #1)

With Fangs and Claws (The Wolf Queen, #1)

author: Sam Hall
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/10/09
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]]> <![CDATA[Reclaim Your Happiness: A guide to shine despite tough times]]> 62850245 82 Simran Ahuja Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.38

Reclaim Your Happiness: A guide to shine despite tough times

author: Simran Ahuja
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/10/02
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]]> <![CDATA[You Are The Key: 7 Powerful Ways To Unlock The Life You Desire]]> 59655778 Are you unable to move forward despite doing whatever it takes? Do you tell yourself exactly what others tell you or do you make it a point to listen to that wise inner voice which you so often ignore? Meera asks thought-provoking questions that will make you reconsider and redefine what’s truly important to you. In a world where meeting others�� expectations has stealthily become a way of life, it is increasingly challenging to preserve and honour your authenticity.

Your genuine desires and true nature will surface as you journey through Meera’s words.
You will realise the significance of your presence on our planet. You will experience a shift in your perspective of life and every experience it brings, be it positive or negative. You are exactly where you are meant to be right now. The sooner you understand this, the better you will be able to steer the course of your life in the direction of your choice. Meera questions every self-limiting belief that prevents you from being true to yourself. You cannot help experiencing positive changes in the way you think, feel and talk to yourself after reading her book.

Above all, through Meera’s writing, you will understand why you matter most in your life. You will realise that you will have to choose to be fine, well and happy before you can make any positive difference in the lives of those who matter most to you. She highlights self-sabotage in numerous forms. You may be short-changing yourself without realising it. You may be unaware of the extent of damage continuously being caused through your negative self-talk. Meera gives you a much-needed and long-overdue wake-up call; one that you will not want to miss.]]> 116 Meera Jhogasundram Kundan 0 currently-reading 3.99 You Are The Key: 7 Powerful Ways To Unlock The Life You Desire

You Are The Key: 7 Powerful Ways To Unlock The Life You Desire

author: Meera Jhogasundram
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.99
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date added: 2022/07/27
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]]> Sulwe 44800078 A New York Times bestseller! Featured in its own episode in the Netflix original show Celebrating Black Voices! Recipient of a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award Recipient of an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Children’s Literary Work From Academy Award–winning actress Lupita Nyong’o comes a powerful, moving picture book about colorism, self-esteem, and learning that true beauty comes from within.Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything. In this stunning debut picture book, actress Lupita Nyong’o creates a whimsical and heartwarming story to inspire children to see their own unique beauty.]]> 48 Lupita Nyong'o Kundan 5 4.76 2019 Sulwe

author: Lupita Nyong'o
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.76
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2022/07/15
date added: 2022/07/15
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]]> <![CDATA[The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness]]> 53498439 A tenth-anniversary edition of the iconic bestseller, with a new introduction by the author

Seldom does a book have the impact of Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow. Since it was first published in 2010, it has been cited in judicial decisions and has been adopted in campus-wide and community-wide reads; it helped inspire the creation of the Marshall Project and the new $100 million Art for Justice Fund; it has been the winner of numerous prizes, including the prestigious NAACP Image Award; and it has spent nearly 250 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

Now, ten years after it was first published, The New Press is proud to issue a tenth-anniversary edition with a new introduction by Michelle Alexander that discusses the impact the book has had and the state of the criminal justice reform movement today.]]> 421 Michelle Alexander 1620971941 Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.51 2010 The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

author: Michelle Alexander
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2010
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/07/13
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]]> <![CDATA[The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language]]> 18579574
This short, opinionated book addresses the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which argues that the language we speak shapes the way we perceive the world. Linguist John McWhorter argues that while this idea is mesmerizing, it is plainly wrong. Cultural differences are quite real. However, the way languages' grammar world, and the random ways that their vocabularies happen to describe the world—whether time is expresses with vertical expressions instead of horizontal ones, whether a language happens to have a word for stick out or wipe—do not correspond to its speakers' experience of living. The fact that a language has only one word for eat, drink and smoke—as many do�� doesn't mean its speakers don't process the differences between food and beverages as vividly as other people, and those who use the same word for blue and green perceive those two colors just as vividly as others do.

McWhorter shows not only how the idea of language as a lens fails but also why we want so badly to believe it: we're eager to celebrate diversity by acknowledging the intelligence of peoples who may not think like we do. Though well-intentioned, our belief in this idea poses an obstacle to a better understanding of human nature and even trivializes the people we seek to celebrate. The reality—that all humans think alike—provides another, better way for us to acknowledge the intelligence of all peoples.]]> 182 John McWhorter 0199361584 Kundan 0 to-read 3.71 2014 The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language

The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language

author: John McWhorter
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2014
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/07/04
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]]> <![CDATA[Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages]]> 8444621
Challenging the consensus that the fundaments of language are hard-wired in our genes and thus universal, Deutscher argues that the answer to all these questions is—yes. In thrilling fashion, he takes us from Homer to Darwin, from Yale to the Amazon, from how to name the rainbow to why Russian water —a "she"�� becomes a "he" once you dip a tea bag into her, demonstrating that language does in fact reflect culture in ways that are anything but trivial.]]> 304 Guy Deutscher 080508195X Kundan 0 to-read 3.90 2010 Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages

Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages

author: Guy Deutscher
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2010
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/07/04
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]]> Your Wound, My Garden 59710202
Your Wound / My Garden (2021) is the new poetry collection by ALOK written during COVID 19 lockdown. It's an argument for beauty in the face of grief, loss, and chronic pain.]]> 52 Alok Vaid-Menon Kundan 5 4.76 Your Wound, My Garden

author: Alok Vaid-Menon
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.76
book published:
rating: 5
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]]> Beyond the Gender Binary 51794301 Beyond the Gender Binary, spoken word poet Alok Vaid-Menon challenges the world to see gender not in black and white, but in full color. Taking from their own experiences as a gender-nonconforming artist, they show us that gender is a malleable and creative form of expression. The only limit is your imagination.]]> 64 Alok Vaid-Menon 0593094654 Kundan 5 4.48 2020 Beyond the Gender Binary

author: Alok Vaid-Menon
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/07/04
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It was very eye-opening and insightful. More to be added later.
]]> Chromophobia 351621 Chromophobia, David Batchelor analyzes the history of, and motivations behind, chromophobia, from its beginnings through examples of nineteenth-century literature, twentieth-century architecture and film, to Pop art, minimalism and the art and architecture of the present day. Batchelor suggests how colour fits, or fails to fit, into the cultural imagination of the West, exploring such diverse themes as Melville's "great white whale," Le Corbusier's "journey to the East," Huxley's experiments with mescaline. Dorothy's travels in the Land of Oz and the implication of modern artists' experiments with industrial paints and materials.]]> 125 David Batchelor 1861890745 Kundan 0 to-read 3.84 2000 Chromophobia

author: David Batchelor
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2000
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/07/04
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]]> The Big Conservation Lie 34609462 210 John Mbaria Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.09

author: John Mbaria
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.09
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/19
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> <![CDATA[The Sympathizer (The Sympathizer #1)]]> 58111375 The Sympathizer is the breakthrough novel of the year. With the pace and suspense of a thriller and prose that has been compared to Graham Greene and Saul Bellow, The Sympathizer is a sweeping epic of love and betrayal. The narrator, a communist double agent, is a “man of two minds,�� a half-French, half-Vietnamese army captain who arranges to come to America after the Fall of Saigon, and while building a new life with other Vietnamese refugees in Los Angeles is secretly reporting back to his communist superiors in Vietnam. The Sympathizer is a blistering exploration of identity and America, a gripping espionage novel, and a powerful story of love and friendship.]]> 445 Viet Thanh Nguyen Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.16 2015 The Sympathizer (The Sympathizer #1)

author: Viet Thanh Nguyen
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> A Thousand Steps into Night 55948826 New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist, Traci Chee, comes a Japanese-influenced fantasy brimming with demons, adventure, and plans gone awry.

In the realm of Awara, where gods, monsters, and humans exist side by side, Miuko is an ordinary girl resigned to a safe, if uneventful, existence as an innkeeper’s daughter. But when Miuko is cursed and begins to transform into a demon with a deadly touch, she embarks on a quest to reverse the curse and return to her normal life. Aided by a thieving magpie spirit and continuously thwarted by a demon prince, Miuko must outfox tricksters, escape demon hunters, and negotiate with feral gods if she wants to make it home again. But with her transformation comes power and freedom she never even dreamed of, and she’ll have to decide if saving her soul is worth trying to cram herself back into an ordinary life that no longer fits her�� and perhaps never did.]]> 400 Traci Chee Kundan 0 currently-reading 3.78 2022 A Thousand Steps into Night

author: Traci Chee
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/06/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Crooked Hallelujah 48893997 "A masterful debut" that follows four generations of Cherokee women across four decades--from the Plimpton Prize-winning author (Sarah Jessica Parker).

It's 1974 in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and fifteen-year-old Justine grows up in a family of tough, complicated, and loyal women, presided over by her mother, Lula, and Granny. After Justine's father abandoned the family, Lula became a devout member of the Holiness Church--a community that Justine at times finds stifling and terrifying. But Justine does her best as a devoted daughter, until an act of violence sends her on a different path forever.

Crooked Hallelujah tells the stories of Justine--a mixed-blood Cherokee woman--and her daughter, Reney, as they move from Eastern Oklahoma's Indian Country in the hopes of starting a new, more stable life in Texas amid the oil bust of the 1980s. However, life in Texas isn't easy, and Reney feels unmoored from her family in Indian Country. Against the vivid backdrop of the Red River, we see their struggle to survive in a world--of unreliable men and near-Biblical natural forces, like wildfires and tornados--intent on stripping away their connections to one another and their very ideas of home.

In lush and empathic prose, Kelli Jo Ford depicts what this family of proud, stubborn, Cherokee women sacrifices for those they love, amid larger forces of history, religion, class, and culture. This is a big-hearted and ambitious novel of the powerful bonds between mothers and daughters by an exquisite and rare new talent.

"A compelling journey through the evolving terrain of multiple generations of women." --The Washington Post]]> 304 Kelli Jo Ford 0802149146 Kundan 0 currently-reading 3.62 2020 Crooked Hallelujah

author: Kelli Jo Ford
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/05/31
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology, #1)]]> 58142089 A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.]]> 523 Sue Lynn Tan 0063031329 Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.22 2022 Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology, #1)

Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology, #1)

author: Sue Lynn Tan
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/05/31
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman 5227832 From the surreal to the mundane, twenty-four stories that “show Murukami at his dynamic, organic best�� (Los Angeles Times Book Review). "A warning to new readers of Haruki You will become addicted.... His newest collection is as enigmatic and sublime as ever." —San Francisco ChronicleHere are animated crows, a criminal monkey, and an ice man, as well as the dreams that shape us and the things we might wish for. From the surreal to the mundane, these stories exhibit Murakami’s ability to transform the full range of human experience in ways that are instructive, surprising, and entertaining.]]> 351 Haruki Murakami Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.10 2006 Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman

author: Haruki Murakami
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/05/23
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Healing Hannah's Heart 52201177
While Hannah recovers from her burns, she is forced to accept help from the last person on earth she wants, her estranged husband, Jake Hart. Jake isn't ready to give up on their marriage. The return of Jake's teenage son from a one-night stand had been the catalyst for their breakup. Can Jake help both the son who resents his abandonment and the woman he still loves? He can do nothing about the scars on her skin, but can he heal Hannah's heart?

As she struggles to rebuild her life from the ashes of her shattered dreams, does Hannah have the courage to give Jake a second chance? And is the world ready for a differently-abled model who will redefine what it means to be beautiful?]]> 400 Preslaysa Williams Kundan 0 currently-reading 4.61 2019 Healing Hannah's Heart

author: Preslaysa Williams
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/05/13
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Realm of Ash (The Books of Ambha, #2)]]> 43192642
The Ambhan Empire is crumbling. A terrible war of succession hovers on the horizon. The only hope for peace lies in the mysterious realm of ash, where mortals can find what they seek in the echoes of their ancestors' dreams. But to walk there requires a steep price.

Arwa is determined to make the journey. Widowed by a brutal massacre, she's pledged service to the royal family and will see that pledge through to the end. She never expected to be joined by Zahir, the disgraced, illegitimate prince who has turned to forbidden magic in a desperate bid to save those he loves.

Together, they'll walk the bloody path of their shared past. And it will call into question everything they've ever believed...including whether the Empire is worth saving at all.]]> 480 Tasha Suri Kundan 0 to-read 3.94 2019 Realm of Ash (The Books of Ambha, #2)

author: Tasha Suri
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/04/29
shelves: to-read
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]]> The First Strawberries 937381
"Complete harmony of text and pictures: altogether lovely." -- Kirkus Reviews, pointer review

Joseph Bruchac is an award-winning storyteller whose books for children include Eagle Song, Children of the Longhouse, and Arrow to the Sun (all Dial). He lives in Greenfield Center, New York. Anna Vojtech lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts.]]> 32 Joseph Bruchac 0140564098 Kundan 0 to-read 4.10 1993 The First Strawberries

author: Joseph Bruchac
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.10
book published: 1993
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/03/23
shelves: to-read
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]]> Inheritance: A Visual Poem 58733636 They tell me to "fix" my hair.

And by fix, they mean straighten, they mean whiten;

but how do you fix this shipwrecked

history of hair?

In her most famous spoken-word poem, author of the Pura Belpr-winning novel-in-verse The Poet X Elizabeth Acevedo embraces all the complexities of Black hair and Afro-Latinidad--the history, pain, pride, and powerful love of that inheritance.

Paired with full-color illustrations by artist Andrea Pippins in a format that will appeal to fans of Mahogany L. Browne's Black Girl Magic or Jason Reynolds's For Everyone, this poem can now be read in a vibrant package, making it the ideal gift, treasure, or inspiration for readers of any age.]]> 46 Elizabeth Acevedo 0062931946 Kundan 0 to-read 4.48 2022 Inheritance: A Visual Poem

author: Elizabeth Acevedo
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/03/23
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]]> <![CDATA[The Win Without Pitching Manifesto]]> 44527204 102 Blair Enns 1999523512 Kundan 5 4.62 2010

author: Blair Enns
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at: 2022/03/21
date added: 2022/03/21
shelves:
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]]> The Poet X 33294200 Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about.

With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out. But she still can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.]]> 368 Elizabeth Acevedo Kundan 5 4.37 2018 The Poet X

author: Elizabeth Acevedo
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2018
rating: 5
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date added: 2022/02/16
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]]> Clap When You Land 52516332 In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.

Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people��

In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.

Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.

And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.]]> 432 Elizabeth Acevedo 0062882767 Kundan 5 4.22 2020 Clap When You Land

author: Elizabeth Acevedo
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/02/16
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]]> Becoming 38746485
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.]]> 426 Michelle Obama 1524763136 Kundan 4 4.42 2018

author: Michelle Obama
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/02/16
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]]> The Rig Veda: Complete 6601309 481 Anonymous Kundan 0 to-read 4.25 -1000

author: Anonymous
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.25
book published: -1000
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/02/16
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[The World We Make (Great Cities, #2)]]> 60399181 Four-time Hugo Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author N.K. Jemisin crafts a glorious tale of identity, resistance, magic and myth.

All is not well in the city that never sleeps. Even though the avatars of New York City have temporarily managed to stop the Woman in White from invading—and destroying the entire universe in the process—the mysterious capital "E" Enemy has more subtle powers at her disposal. A new candidate for mayor wielding the populist rhetoric of gentrification, xenophobia, and "law and order" may have what it takes to change the very nature of New York itself and take it down from the inside.

In order to defeat him, and the Enemy who holds his purse strings, the avatars will have to join together with the other Great Cities of the world in order to bring her down for good and protect their world from complete destruction.

N.K. Jemisin’s Great Cities Duology, which began with The City We Became and concludes with The World We Make, is a masterpiece of speculative fiction from one of the most important writers of her generation.
]]> 357 N.K. Jemisin 035651269X Kundan 0 to-read 4.05 2022 The World We Make (Great Cities, #2)

author: N.K. Jemisin
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/02/16
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[The City We Became (Great Cities, #1)]]> 42074525
Every city has a soul. Some are as ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York City? She's got five.

But every city also has a dark side. A roiling, ancient evil stirs beneath the earth, threatening to destroy the city and her five protectors unless they can come together and stop it once and for all.]]> 437 N.K. Jemisin Kundan 4 3.83 2020 The City We Became (Great Cities, #1)

author: N.K. Jemisin
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2022/02/16
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review:

]]> Raybearer (Raybearer, #1) 50158128 343 Jordan Ifueko 1419739824 Kundan 5 4.32 2020

author: Jordan Ifueko
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/01/14
date added: 2022/01/14
shelves:
review:

]]> Gitanjali 50623133 44 Rabindranath Tagore 142096500X Kundan 5 4.62 1910

author: Rabindranath Tagore
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.62
book published: 1910
rating: 5
read at: 2022/01/14
date added: 2022/01/14
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Unconditional - Breaking Free for Love: 101 Eternal Love Poems]]> 54925022
You cannot contain it,keep it to yourself,you share itand it nurtures your soul and self.It grows and expandslike the infinite universeyou break free for loveas if nothing else matters.

This book is a perfect gift for your near and dear ones you love the most, or just read by yourself to go through the beautiful journey of finding yourself in love again. ♥]]> 127 Noelle Nams Kundan 4 4.00 Unconditional - Breaking Free for Love: 101 Eternal Love Poems

Unconditional - Breaking Free for Love: 101 Eternal Love Poems

author: Noelle Nams
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/14
date added: 2022/01/14
shelves:
review:

]]> Sita's Sister 25515592 As Sita prepares to go into exile, her younger sisters stay back at the doomed palace of Ayodhya, their smiles, hope and joy wiped away in a single stroke. And through the tears and the tragedy one woman of immense strength and conviction stands apart—Urmila, whose husband, Lakshman, has chosen to accompany his brother Ram to the forest rather than stay with his bride. She could have insisted on joining Lakshman, as did Sita with Ram. But she did not. Why did she agree to be left behind in the palace, waiting for her husband for fourteen painfully long years?]]> 322 Kavita Kané Kundan 0 to-read 4.09 2014 Sita's Sister

author: Kavita Kané
name: Kundan
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2014
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/01/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Saraswati's Intelligence (Kishkindha Chronicles #1)]]> 33778328
Ancient Kishkindha, the land of Hanuman and his people, is in mortal danger.

The era of peace marked by the parama dharma, a rigorous code that forbids the spilling of blood, seems about to end. A new and deadly race of beings that destroy and devour anything that lives is gathering outside Kishkindha’s northern frontiers, and invasion is imminent.

Hanuman, meanwhile, has been exiled by the intrigues of his aunt, the empress Riksharaja, in order to make way for Vali.

Only his cousin Sugreeva, and wise guru Vishwamitra, can help Hanuman as his destiny takes him onward to face himself and a world no one in Kishkindha has known about until now.

‘The Kishkindha Chronicles�� re-imagines the ancient prehistory of India from a startlingly new perspective that will make us rethink what it means to be human and animal. Saraswati’s Intelligence is the first book in the trilogy.]]> 263 Vamsee Juluri Kundan 5
It's a slow confusing slog in the beginning but I urge you to keep reading till the end because it's totally worth it. If you need a glossary of terms, it's provided in the sequel. So get the sequel too.

This is the first of what may be a trilogy. The third book is not yet released.]]> 3.85 Saraswati's Intelligence (Kishkindha Chronicles #1)

Saraswati's Intelligence (Kishkindha Chronicles #1)

author: Vamsee Juluri
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.85
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/28
date added: 2022/01/14
shelves:
review:
This book is essential reading for those who want to imagine a world before colonial violence and domination.

It's a slow confusing slog in the beginning but I urge you to keep reading till the end because it's totally worth it. If you need a glossary of terms, it's provided in the sequel. So get the sequel too.

This is the first of what may be a trilogy. The third book is not yet released.
]]> <![CDATA[Rearming Hinduism: Nature, Hinduphobia, and the Return of Indian Intelligence]]> 23183450
By boldly challenging some of the media age’s most popular beliefs about nature, history, and pre-history along with the Hinduphobes' usual myths about Aryans, invasions, and blood-sacrifices, Rearming Hinduism links Hinduphobia and its hubris to a predatory and self-destructive culture that perhaps only a renewed Hindu sensibility can effectively oppose. It is a call to see the present in a way that elevates our desa and kala to the ideals of the sanathana dharma once again.

“For a civilization is not just buildings and machines, but its people, their thought, and their culture. It is a way of knowing the world, a way of giving meaning and value to the contents of life. It is a resource, most of all, for living intelligently.”]]> 243 Vamsee Juluri Kundan 5 3.81 2014 Rearming Hinduism: Nature, Hinduphobia, and the Return of Indian Intelligence

Rearming Hinduism: Nature, Hinduphobia, and the Return of Indian Intelligence

author: Vamsee Juluri
name: Kundan
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2022/01/14
shelves:
review:

]]>