Zodiac Signs: 12 Best Books To Read

 

I know my birth time..its 11.15 pm on 27th of December. I have a small book which is called as "horoscope" (kundali) derived on the birth time and the location of the Sun, the moon and all the other planets. Astrology is not mere the placement of the stellar objects but a proven scientific method to arrive at facts. Learning the basics of Astrology is one of my desires in my bucket list. Sooner or later, I am sure to try my hand at it. Well, nowadays, there are many apps and websites which generate the horoscope when the basic data in fed to the system. There is a logic (or programming) behind the application. I wish to learn that "logic". And who would help me more but my dear book friends. So, here is the list of books which I have curated for inquisitive people like me:

1) Astrology For The Soul (1997) by Jan Spiller

2) The Stars Within You: A Modern Guide To Astrology (2018) by Juliana McCarthy

3) The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need (1982) by Joanna Martine Woolfolk

4) Written in the Stars: Constellations, Facts and Folklore for the Armchair Astronomer (2018) by Alison Davies

5) Astrology: Using the Wisdom of the Stars in Your Everyday Life by Carole Taylor

6) You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance by Chani Nicholas

7) The Memory Librarian by Janelle Monáe

8) Linda Goodman's Sun Signs: The Secret Codes of the Universe

9) Bhrigu Samhita Hardcover by Dr. Suryakanta Jha

10) The Complete Guide to Astrology: Understanding Yourself, Your Signs, and Your Birth Chart
by Louise Edington

11) Elements of Vedic Astrology – K S Charak

12) Vedic Astrology: An Integrated Approach – P V R Narasimha Rao

This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023

And that sums up my posts for the #BlogchatterA2Z 2023!

Yet to Read Books!

 

It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1) by Colleen Hoover

Icebreaker (Maple Hills, #1) by Hannah Grace

Alex Through the Looking - Glass (Paperback) by Alex Bellos

Treasure Island (Hardcover) by Robert Louis Stevenson

Physics of the Impossible (Hardcover) by Michio Kaku

References: www.goodreads.com

This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023

Generation X: Books to read

 

Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture by Douglas Coupland

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

Bright Lights, Big City by by Jay McInerney

The Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace

Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem

This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023

Book Review #8: The Wanderers - The Sound of the Lake

Title: The Wanderers - The Sound of the Lake

Author: Sarthak Rathi
Publisher: Notion Press
Copyright: 2019
Language: English

Genre: Fiction Mystery Adventure Sci Fi

Shelving Location: Fiction / Story Books

Dewey Decimal Classification: 823

Writing Style: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Narration: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cover/Title: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Concept: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review:

The Wanderers: The Sound of the Lake is an adventurous book to read for all those fond of sci-fi. The story revolves around the four friends - Sarthak, Pari, Anu and Yash. They are off to countryside - Hungertown on their bicycles accompanied by Striker - a cute little dog. The adventure begins here. Striker has a locket around its neck which carries the secret to the Lake Riveroir. What is it? Who will spill the beans?

Soundleek Hanginton - the foul minded queen has only one purpose to be fulfilled and it is to rule the world. She propels the machine to extract a certain stone from the Lake Riveroir which will eventually result in people going deaf in that area. She has also discovered another machine - Dream Transmitter which controls the brain of the victim. People will follow only her orders and she will be ruling queen.

Will Sarthak and his team be able to save the people and the World? Find out!

This book is food for the curious mind and you will not be able to put it down. Only follow one thumb rule - read it at one go. The plot, the characters and their slow unveiling, the narration; everything is in place. The story intertwined with dialogues gives a feeling of belonging to the imaginary world. The plot has various twists and turns and all are unexpected. That's the beauty!

I first read Sarthak Rathi's The Wanderers 3.0: The Ice on the Tower which is actually Book Number 3. 

I would request all those Sci Fi fans to read all of Sarthak Rathi's books in the order as follows:

Book 1 - The Wanderers - The Sound of the Lake

Book 2 - The Wanderers 2.0 - The Strike on the Satellite

Book 3 - The Wanderers 3.0 - The Ice on the Tower

Get your copy of the book "The Wanderers - The Sound of the Lake" - Amazon

Do read the Review of Book 3 - The Wanderers 3.0 - The Ice on the Tower

I would congratulate Sarthak Rathi for all his efforts and success in penning the stories for these books at a very tender age. He has a flair for writing sci-fi stories and make-believe scenarios. Not many of his age are blessed with such enduring visualization skills. God bless you Sarthak!

Excerpt from the Book:

She showed where we were on Google Maps (How the satellite tracked us, I don't know). We were just beneath the road, and according to the road, Lake Riveroir was 150 kilometers. It did not show the flight distance and the road twisted and turned in a positively nauseating manner, so we estimated that the road was 80 kilometers away, in a straight line.

This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023

Time Management - 5 Top Rated Books on Amazon You Should Read!

Procrastination is the thief of time - goes a well known idiom! So what to do? Well, have tomatoes😀😀

Yes, you read that right! Have tomatoes i.e. follow the Pomodoro Technique. (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. 🍅)

This popular time management method asks you to alternate pomodoros — focused work sessions — with frequent short breaks to promote sustained concentration and stave off mental fatigue.

Try the Pomodoro Technique if you...

• 🍅Find little distractions often derail the whole workday

• 🍅Consistently work past the point of optimal productivity

• 🍅Have lots of open-ended work that could take unlimited amounts of time (e.g., studying for an exam, research for a blog post, etc.)

• 🍅Are overly optimistic when it comes to how much you can get done in a day (aren't we all 🙃)

• 🍅Enjoy gamified goal-setting

• 🍅🍅Really like tomatoes

Also, check out 5 Top Rated Books on Time Management....

1) Dopamine Detox : A Short Guide to Remove Distractions and Get Your Brain to Do Hard Things (Productivity Series Book by Thibaut Meurisse (Author), Kerry J Donovan (Editor)

2) Do It Today: Overcome procrastination, improve productivity and achieve more meaningful things by Foroux, Darius

3) Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

4) Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey (Author, Narrator), Macmillan Digital Audio (Publisher)

5) Powerful Focus: A 7-Day Plan to Develop Mental Clarity and Build Strong Focus (Productivity Series Book by Thibaut Meurisse (Author)

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Vidhya Thakkar: Look for what interests you. Enjoy this space and express what you feel.

Today as we celebrate World Book and Copyright Day let us meet a lively, helpful and an extremely famous Bookstagrammer - Vidhya Thakkar who is more popular on Instagram as reader_viddh. Reader_viddh is one of the leading book blogs since 2017. She has worked with more than 700 Authors, Brands and India’s listed Publisher’s in regards with Marketing and Promotions.

She’s a Mumbaikar soul and an avid reader which made her Founder of MUMBAI BOOKSTAGRAM – A community of more than 80 Mumbai - based Book Bloggers. They meet every 3-4 months, attend events together, do blind book dates. 

Vidhya is an ardent fan of Sudha Murty and rightly so she founded the SUDHA MURTY’s BOOK CLUB. 

She has been featured in Mid Day, Social ketchup, Outlook India, Shillong Times, Elle India, Buzz Feed and many others. 

Chinmayee Bhange interviews Ms. Vidhya Thakkar on the occasion of World Book and Copyright Day - 23rd April 2023.

Please tell us more about yourself

Vidhya Thakkar Is an avid reader and a Blogger. A social media strategist who works with author, publishers and influencers. Having work with more than 700 authors and almost all the publishers, this journey as a book blogger has been an interesting one. This May i will be celebrating the six years of reader_viddh.

How long have you been blogging? Tell us more about the idea behind book blogging.

I will soon be celebrating 6 years of reader_viddh. I have been a blogger since 2014 where I shared about personal experiences. Later, while travelling I came across a hashtag called Bookstagram, which made me curious. When I explored more I came to know more about book blogging and that's when the journey began and reader_viddh was born.

What genres of books do you generally follow and review?

Romance, mythology, thriller, self help.

According to you, what makes a good book? The plot or the author?

The plot always.

Vidhya was recently featured in the column - Shelf Life in Mid-Day.

Read the article - How readers become friends at this unconventional book club in Mumbai

How does a certain book achieve its "Best Seller" status? Also what are your tips to newbies in the Book Writing Platform?

Well, the bestseller status surely comes with apt visibility and sales. For newbies, I would suggest to have patience when it comes to writing, publishing and marketing as well. Choose the best and wait for the best rather than just choosing the first thing that comes for the sake of publishing.

What is it that Book Bloggers should look out for?

Look for what interests you. Enjoy this space and express what you feel.

How much time does it generally take from receiving a book to posting its review? What is the general flow that you follow?

Well it takes me good 25-30 days after I receive the book.

In this scenario of information overload and binge reading habits, your blogging and instagram posts have opened up a new avenue for book enthusiasts. What is your message for like minded people?

Have patience, and don't run after followers. Remember the reason you created the account.

What advice would you share for naive book bloggers?

Be honest with your work.

How many books do you read in a month? And how many are on your shelf right now as TBR?

I try to read 20-21 books in a month. TBR is never ending!

Any three books which are very close to your heart and why?

"Shakuni" because I love reading about Mahabharta. "Take a chance on me" by Sapna Bhog. A light romance read that I always reread when in slump and "1000+ little things". The book I go to every time I feel low.

Has it ever happened that you felt as if you were one of the characters in the book? Which was that book?

Yes it was "Take a chance on me" by Sapna Bhog.

Do your family / friends support you in this venture of book blogging?

Yes they do!

What tips would you share for getting more likes / followers on Instagram handles for book reviews?

Content and consistency are kings. The only way to get likes and followers

Social Media is ever evolving. How do you adapt yourself to this scenario?

Well I remind myself why I created this space. The reason I keep evolving. Also invest in website.

Do you think likes / reviews on Instagram handles has a deep impact on the psychology of the readers?

Yes they do have a deep impact.

What are your favourite Bookstagram accounts?

Creaty_rich, booxoul, bookish.fame, book_gobbler, just_another_aspirant

Who inspired you to Book Blogging?

My passion for reading!

Who are your favourite Book Bloggers?

Khyati, richa, purnima, siddhi, neelam

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Social Media Handles:

Instagram

Website

Twitter

Facebook

This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023

Book Review #7: Rebecca

Title: The Rebecca Notebook: and Other Memories
Author: Daphne du Maurier
Publisher: Victor Gollancz Ltd
Copyright: 1938
Language: English

Genre: Classics Fiction Mystery Gothic Romance Historical Fiction Thriller Horror Mystery Thriller

Shelving Location: Fiction / Story Books

Dewey Decimal Classification: 823

Writing Style: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Narration: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cover/Title: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Concept: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review:

Rebecca - a complete page turner. 

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again … It seemed to me I stood by the iron gates leading to the drive and for a while I could not enter, the way was barred to me..” - the famous opening lines from the book sets the perfect tone to read the book. The protagonist reminisces her days as a newly married bride of a wealthy man and staying in the ghostly mansion across the Cornish coast. Here she comes face to face with a fact that she is the second wife of her husband. His first wife although dead is kept alive in the house by a one Mrs. Danvers. Her presence is felt everywhere - the letters, the elegant suite, the clothing, the books...almost everywhere. At one point she learns that Rebecca drowned in her small boat. She becomes aghast as she comes across an important but unbelievable truth - Rebecca was an extremely efficient sailor. As the protagonist tries to unravel one mystery after the other, she gets all the more entangled with Rebecca. As the probe into Rebecca's death continues, the drowned boat is recovered, a note is found and ....

Is Rebecca still alive?

Read the book to find out more.

A bestseller which has never gone out of print, Rebecca sold 2.8 million copies between its publication in 1938 and 1965. It has been adapted numerous times for stage and screen, including a 1939 play by du Maurier herself, the film Rebecca (1940), directed by Alfred Hitchcock, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and the 2020 remake directed by Ben Wheatley for Netflix.

This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023

Top 5 Leading Books on "Questions"

 

No book can answer all our questions. Albeit, there is not one answer for a single question. Every answer comes with an altogether different perspective and it changes our line of thinking too. I simply love these series of Question Answer books. It adds up to our knowledge and builds on our wisdom😊

1) 

2) 

3) 

4) 

5) 

• This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023

Paperbacks - Must Read Books of P.L. Deshpande

Paperbacks (books with soft cover) have revolutionized reading. Earlier, books were the sole custody of an Ancient Public Library or would belong to affluent people. Maybe paper was scarce and hence costly. But with the advent of paperback books. the idea of owning the book for ages came into existence and it turned erstwhile readers into buyers. Paperback books or simply Paperbacks as they are commonly known became widely available and would fit into any bag or purse and were also christened as Pocket books.

Just for fun - how many paperbacks do you have in your personal home library?

0-10: Buys Only for the Pretty Cover 😊

11 - 25: Takes Forever to Choose a Book 😊😊

26 - 55: The Borrower (But Never Returns)😊😊😊

56 - 75: Finishes too Soon😊😊😊😊

76 - 100: The Book Collector😊😊😊😊😊

101 - 500: You are in a Library😊😊😊😊😊😊

501 and more: You are an absolute book nerd😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

Well, to move on, let me give you a list of paperback books written by none other than but the legendary - P.L. Deshpande who is fondly known as Pula Deshpande or Bhai.

I consider myself to be very fortunate to have been born, grown up and nourished in a family with literary taste and bent of mind. My grandmother and mother have made me read Marathi / English books ever since I was a child in 5th std. I was given membership of a nearby public library and there began my reading journey and it has continued till date. My first books as a child were Champak, Chandoba and The Nancy Drew Case Files. I vividly remember reading Swami (by Ranjeet Desai) and Chingi (by N.D. Tamhankar)

I have also read all of PuLa books. No matter the day, date and time, PuLa's books are sure to make you ROFL! Make sure you read all of them....

Humour

Golabereej (गोळाबेरीज) - 1960

AghaL-PaghaL (अघळ-पघळ) - 1998

Marathi Vangmayacha (Galeev) Itihas (मराठी वाङ्‌मयाचा (गाळीव) इतिहास) – 1970

Khogirbharati (खोगीरभरती) - 1950

Hasavnuk (हसवणूक) - 1968

Batatyachi Chaal (बटाट्याची चाळ)

Khilli (खिल्ली) - 1984

Asa mi Asami (असा मी असामी) - 1964

UralaSurala (उरलंसुरलं) - 1999

Purchundi (पुरचुंडी) – 1999

Travelogues

Vangachitre (वंगचित्रे) – 1974

Apoorvai (अपूर्वाई) – 1960

Poorvarang (पूर्वरंग) -1963

Jaave Tyanchya Desha (जावे त्यांच्या देशा) – 1974

AdaptationsKay Wattel Te Hoeel (काय वाट्टेल ते होईल) – 1962...translation of Helen and George Papashvily's Anything Can Happen

Eka Koliyane (एका कोळीयाने) – 1965...translation of Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea

Kanhoji Angre (कान्होजी आंग्रे)(Translation of English novel "Maratha Admiral Kanhoji Angre" by Manohar Malgoankar)

Poravay (पोरवय) –1995... translation of "Chhelebela" By Ravindranath Tagore

Biographies (व्यक्तिचित्रं)

Gangot (गणगोत) – 1966

Gandhiji (गांधीजी) – 1970

Guna Gaeen Awadi (गुण गाईन आवडी) – 1975

Maitra (मैत्र) – 1989

Apulki (आपुलकी) – 1998

Collection of Speeches

Rasikaho! (रसिकहो!) - 1995

Soojanaho! (सुजनहो!) -2002

Mitra Ho! (मित्र हो!) - 1995

Shrote Ho! (श्रोते हो!) -1996

Speeches on radio and radio-plays - Parts 1 and 2 (रेडियोवरील भाषणे व श्रुतिका - भाग एक व दोन) - 2001

Humorous Essays

Gacchi saha Zalich Pahije (गच्ची सह झालीच पाहिजे)

Eka Raviwarchi Sakaal (एका रविवारची सकाळ)

Maze Shahari Jeevan (माझे शहरी जीवन)

Bigari Te Matric (बिगरी ते मॅट्रिक) - Hasavnuk (हसवणूक)

Mumbaikar, Punekar Ka Nagpurkar? (मुंबईकर, पुणेकर का नागपूरकर?)

Mhais (म्हैस) - Golabereej (गोळाबेरीज)

Mi Ani Majha Shatrupaksha (मी आणि माझा शत्रुपक्ष) - Hasavnuk (हसवणूक)

Paliv Pranee (पाळीव प्राणी) - Hasavnuk (हसवणूक)

Kahi Nave Grahayog (काही नवे ग्रहयोग)

Majhe Poshtik Jeewan (माझे पोष्टिक जीवन) - Hasavnuk (हसवणूक)

Other

Vyakti Ani Valli (व्यक्ती आणि वल्ली) – 1962

Ek Shunya Mee (एक शून्य मी) - 2001

Chitramay Swagat (चित्रमय स्वगत) - 1996

Pu. La. : Ek Sathawan (पु. ल : एक साठवण) – 1979

Daad (दाद) - 1997

Dwidal (द्विदल) - 2004

Char Shabd (चार शब्द) - 1996

Mukkam Shantiniketan (मुक्काम शांतिनिकेतन) - 2001

Ravindranath : Teen Vyakhyane (रवीन्द्रनाथ : तीन व्याख्याने) - 1981

Telephone-cha Janma (टेलिफोनचा जन्म)

Kolhapur Darshan (Shriman Madan Mohan Lohiya Shashtyabdipurti nimitta abhinandan grantha) - 1971 .. Co-authored with Madanmohan Basantilal Lohia and Ganesh Rango Bhide.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purushottam_Laxman_Deshpande_bibliography

 

• This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023

Optimism - Have you read these five books?

Optimism is a feel good attitude. No matter what the circumstances, we should always be calm and content with everything we have. Although that does not mean we should accept our destiny. But we should always take everything in our stride and believe me it will work wonders. Positivity or Optimism has healing powers as our body does not have fight or retaliate every time with negativity. Negativity takes a toll on our mental and physical well being. Contrary to this, positivity brings out all the good things in and around us.

I am very fortunate to have been surrounded by positive people all around me in my workplace and at home. To give you a small example, I used to feel that its only me who is bogged down with so much work (you can imagine my plight as a working mother!). But our family friend who is fondly known as "Gokhale Kaku" in our area once made me understand that it is only because of my busy schedule that I am as fit as a fiddle. She also told me that always look upto your job as a means to showcase your talent and not only as a monetary source. It is because of your workplace and the type of work you do that you are blessed with so many friends and have made relationships, memories which will last for a life time. She is more than 75 years of age but not once have I come across any negative comments from her side. I have never seen her grumbling about any situation. She stands rock firm, come what may. She is friends with almost everyone in our colony. At this ripe age, she cooks and cleans the house all on her own. She goes out for a walk every single evening. Believe me, she has not deviated from her walk even in the lockdown. I salute you Gokhale Kaku!

Here are few books to help cultivate an optimistic approach toward life:

1) The Little Book of Good Things! by Bhavya Doshi

2) The Power Of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale

3) Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a long and happy life [Hardcover] García, Héctor and Miralles, Francesc by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles

4) The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy

5) How to Stop Worrying and Start Living: Time-Tested Methods for Conquering Worry by Dale Carnegie

• This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023

Book Review #6: Unprincess

Title: Unprincess
Author: Manjula Padmanabhan
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 9780143334958
Copyright: 2005
Language: English

Genre: Fiction

Shelving Location: Fiction / Story Books

Dewey Decimal Classification: 823

Writing Style: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Narration: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cover/Title: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Concept: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review:

Unprincess is a sweet read for all the age groups from 15 to 50. The characters - Kavita, Sayoni and Urmila are an extreme delight to read as they have managed to throw off the shackles of the past.

The book puts forth three short stories - The Giant and the Unprincess, Sweet Fantasy and Urmila the Ultimate revolving around one female protagonist each. Their stories brings to surface the belief that not all girls live for "You are my Prince Charming..my Fairy Tale Dream come True!" The characters portrayed are so lively that it makes us forget our age. Although the book is meant for children, the message is to be decoded by elderly too. A message worth pondering, loud and clear but without a distinct mention.

The book is a light and one-time read. The sketches are vividly placed and don't go unnoticed. The characters are build upon in a very novel manner.

Excerpt from the book:

Most people are too tired or too sleepy to make the effort. They go to bed with their minds blank and they'd wake up that way too if not for our help. They come to us with their memories, their thoughts, their ideas and their hopes.

Numerology: Top 5 Books You Should Read!

 

I am so delighted to share with you that I am happily and consistently blogging using the alphabets A to Z for the past 14 days. Thank you Blogchatter for the opportunity! 

During the lockdown, I had been reading a few books on Numerology to gain a deeper understanding. These books gave me an overview of the term with some basic examples. I am no expert to put it to use but I have smitten with this habit of adding up numbers as soon as I see them!

You too enjoy reading these 5 books on Numerology. Why 5? Well because 5 is revered as the favourite number of most people. It is also number which shows a trait of spontaneity and wit😁.

Numerology
With Tantra, Ayurveda, and Astrology
Harish Johari - Nov 01, 1990
Goodreads Rating: 4.0 (252)

Numerology
A Complete Guide to Understanding and Using Your Numbers of Destiny
Hans Decoz - Jan 01, 2001 (first published in 1993)
Goodreads Rating: 4.1 (188)

The Complete Book of Numerology
David Phillips
Goodreads Rating: 4.0 (947)

A Beginner's Guide to Numerology
Decode Relationships, Maximize Opportunities, and Discover Your Destiny
Joy Woodward - Dec 10, 2019
Goodreads Rating: 4.2 (219)

Numerology and the Divine Triangle
Faith Javane, Dusty Bunker - Jan 06, 1997 (first published in 1979)
Goodreads Rating: 4.3 (442)

This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023

Mendeley: A free research management tool

Are you pursuing research and eventually are you finding it difficult to keep a track of the literature reviewed by you? No worries! Have a look at this extremely useful Reference Manager - Mendeley.

Mendeley is a free reference manager tool and an academic social network which helps the research scholar in his journey of efficient research. Efficient because, Mendeley manages all your references on a simple click and generates bibliographies as per the Citation Style required. In the sense, it helps to store, organize, note, share and cite references and research data. At a glance, Mendeley helps to:

Automatically generate bibliographies
Collaborate easily with other researchers online
Easily import papers from other research software
Find relevant papers based on what you're reading
Access your papers from anywhere online

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• Some Useful URLs to help in Mendeley working:
• 1) https://www.mendeley.com/
• 2) https://towson.libguides.com/mendeley/add-articles
• 3) https://www.elsevier.com/authors/tools-and-resources/research-data/mendeley-data-for-journals
• 4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3142761/
• 5) https://www.elsevier.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/915661/RES_MRM_UGMendeley-Reference-Manager-New-User-Guide.pdf
• This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023