Personal Growth/Inspirational review

Through the Veil
by Jerry M. and Richela A. Chapman
ISBN-10: 1432704141
Review by Heather Froeschl



Twin souls, reincarnation, sacred relationship, metaphysics…these are all terms that are prevalent in Jerry and Richela Chapman’s book, “Through the Veil.” It tells the story of how their souls came to be, how they grew, and how they united and grew all the more. It is a book that demonstrates the trials and tribulations, the joys and happiness that is the spiritual journey called life.

This is not about a mythical, wondrous experience of Hollywood soul mates. There is no angelic music playing in the background as two star crossed lovers kiss and live happily ever after. However, this book IS about the plan our souls are on, the guidance we receive, the work it takes to create our life situations and to learn from them, and about the sacred relationship that two people ultimately reach. Sacred relationship is not about religion, but rather it is about the joining of two souls who are bridged to the divine through the self. The over spirits of the two rejoice through the lessons learned and experienced and the end results.

Throughout the book, starting in the 40’s and continuing to the turning of the century, readers are given tidbits of written history to set the stage. Through school days and drug haze, troubled relationships and finally finding each other, then finding each other again through the ups and downs of their relationship, we witness the birthing of two spirits, or rather, the rebirthing as each lesson is learned. What readers take away from this book is sure to be individually varied, as it should be.

The writing is much like a memoir but told as a story. It exudes personal experience and emotion, but also power and compassion. There were times when I felt it moved a little slowly but other moments that were page turners; as a result, it has a decent balance of pace. Like life. I very much enjoyed it.

Author Interview with M.J. Rose

Having recently reviewed a book that I just didn’t want to put down, I sought out an interview with the author, M.J. Rose (it wasn't enough to have her guest blog on my http://spiritualvisitations.blogspot.com site!). The following is from M.J.’s webpage, www.MJRose.com, and nicely sums up “The Reincarnationist” experience,

“Writing a suspense novel is very much like uncovering gardens that have been hidden and secreted away. The secrets in my newest novel, THE REINCARNATIONIST, revolve around a subject that has deep significance for many people --- reincarnation. My fascination with this topic began when I was a child and it's a book that I’ve been working on for more than nine years.

“In my research I discovered I was in good company: Believers in Reincarnation throughout history include Carl Jung, Rudyard Kipling, Einstein, Ben Franklin, Napoleon, Mark Twain, General George Patton, Louisa May Alcott, Tolstoy, Henry Ford, Goethe, the Baal Shem Tov, Nietzsche, Gandhi, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Albert Schweitzer, Walt Whitman, Wordsworth, Levi ibn Habib (the Ralbah), Rumi, Thoreau, Socrates, Jesus Christ in the Gnostic Gospels, Voltaire, Josephus, Balzac, Gauguin, Pythagoras, Kabbalists, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians.

“I've learned that there currently are over 26 million people who are believers in reincarnation --- and I've created a blog as a hub for "reincarnationists" (http://www.reincarnationist.org/wordpress/ ) where you can find news related to reincarnation, read reviews of books on the subject, and discover links to other blogs and websites on reincarnation and related intriguing topics.

“I love reading page turners that give you something to think about, something that resonates and matters. I hope that’s what this novel does for you.”

It absolutely does. And now, here is part of my conversation with M.J.:

Heather: “The Reincarnationist” is quite an in-depth look at reincarnation, yet tells a story that is absolutely compelling. You have honored both goals as a writer, but which was more important to you in this case?

MJR: The story first, but I was committed to the research and presenting the subject fairly. Thanks for the comment, though.

Heather: I’ve been a longtime student of reincarnation but my research pales in comparison to what you must have done for the writing of "The Reincarnationist." I suspect you found it an enjoyable subject to explore?

MJR: Fascinating. But I’ve really been studying it for a long time. In one way or another since I was a child.

Heather: Can you tell me what your favorite source was?

MJR: I’ve read over 60 books on the subject and offer a whole bibliography in the back of the novel. But “The Phoenix Fire Mystery” is a great source book. It’s chronological and contains writings through time on the subject.

Heather: My feeling is that reincarnation is more of an obsession than a passing interest with you. Is this so? And now that the book is done, is it still something that niggles your brain a great deal?

MJR: It used to be an obsession but writing the book solved that. I’m writing a series of books on this subject so it has become more or less integrated into my thinking.

Heather: Are there souls in your life whom you feel you have had past lives with?

MJR: Yes, absolutely. I first became aware of that in my twenties and that first awareness is one of the inspirations for this book.

Heather: Have you spoken with them about this idea and do you think that people should if the other person is not a believer in it?

MJR: I have with some people and not with others and I only would seriously discuss it with someone I knew very well. If you chose to discuss it with a non believer - you need to be prepared for the other person to scoff and call you silly – if you don’t mind that – then by all means.

Heather: Have you felt a deep connection to a place, timeframe, object, or culture that leads you to believe you were involved with it in some past life?

MJR: Yes, several. France is one. Paris specifically but I’m not sure when. Egypt in the time of the pharos. I believe I was a lowly slave. And up around Salem, Mass. In fact I’m going up there in a few weeks to explore.

Heather: Have you personally undergone a past life regression?

MJR: Yes, over a period of six months I worked with a Reincarnationist. It started out as research. Writers have great excuses to do anything and everything.

Heather: The church plays an interesting role in “The Reincarnationist.” Do you feel this view is what might really happen, has happened, or does happen?

MJR: The role the church played in ancient Rome was exactly what happened. That was all based on history. The church was afraid of reincarnation theory. And to this day they are against it.

Heather: Have you had any negative feedback in this regard?

MJR: A few people have tried to engage me in very serious theological conversation… I smile politely and explain I’m a novelist not a theologian.

Heather: The archaeological subject matter in the book is fascinating. Is this another special interest of yours?

MJR: I have been interested in it since I was a kid. One of the many occupations I had on my short list of what I wanted to become.

Heather: This book seems to be quite different from your other work. What is next for M.J. Rose?

MJR:It’s the next book in the series that began with “The Reincarnationist.” It’s called “The Memorist.”

Heather: Thank you MJ for taking a few minutes to chat. I’ll look forward to your next release!

Want to know more about M.J. Rose?
http://www.mjrose.com
http://www.authorbuzz.com
http://mjroseblog.typepad.com/buzz_balls_hype/

Spiritual Fiction Review

Sacred Vow
by C.G. Walters
ISBN-10: 0977427145
Review by Heather Froeschl



Can the wind of a butterfly’s wing effect climate on the other side of the world? Can the love of two souls heal a great wrong in the universe? C.G. Walters’ novel “Sacred Vow,” offers compelling thought to consider, and a page turning delight to cherish.

Ian Sarin enjoys his cup of tea but lately the ritual of it brings other delights. Visions of a woman play out in his perception, beckoning further visitation. Everything in the room must be just so, with teapot, caned chair, and Ian in place. He cannot hear her speak, but can see her mouthing words, sharing her life. Is this just a vision or is it something else? His reality soon becomes less important than the alternate one that he visits. Ian’s health becomes affected and soon he needs help. While visiting an old friend in the mountains, he is introduced to Djalma, an interesting man whose presence comes into play in a large way. He will interact in Ian’s life in ways he couldn’t have imagined. The visions of Katerina become more intense and play out like episodes of a movie he has seen before. The question so important… why are the visits happening? The answer awaits on a scrap of paper that Ian had tucked away, a remnant of a dream, years before. He was chosen for this…but what exactly is this?

Reincarnation, collective consciousness, and life purpose all play large roles in this book. It is a deeply thoughtful and provocative tale that I could not put down. I so enjoyed the read that I simultaneously couldn’t wait to get to the last page but also dreaded it ending. The author evokes a great understanding of these topics and the mysteries of the universe, yet shares his perceptions in a wonderfully easy to comprehend tone. Readers will come away wonder-filled and satisfied to have read “Sacred Vow.”

Thriller Fiction Review

The Reincarnationist
by M.J. Rose
ISBN-10: 0778324206
Review by Heather Froeschl



Ancient secrets are uncovered and little by little the truth is revealed. If you have ever had a moment of wonder about reincarnation, about seeming to instantly know someone you’ve just met, I give you my highest recommendation for M.J. Rose’s book, “The Reincarnationist.” It will call to you to read its pages until you’ve frantically gotten to the last.

Josh Ryder survives a bomb’s explosion only to become haunted by flashes of someone else’s life. These flashes hit him as vividly as memories but seduce him with a desperate need for knowledge, a need to know just who lived these memories. After exhausting every medical approach to his turmoil, Josh discovers the Phoenix Foundation – a research facility that scientifically documents cases of past life experiences in children. Josh becomes an understudy and soon understands that the flashes he goes through are experiences from his own past lives. Desperate to understand the feelings of despair and urgency he feels regarding those in his previous lives, he ends up in Rome, at the heart of his memories’ settings. There he meets Professor Gabriella Chase who has just made a remarkable archaeological discovery – the tomb of a Vestal Virgin, buried alive in approximately the year 390 A.D. So how does Josh know that the tomb is the resting place of a woman named Sabina, and that she was put to death for breaking her vow of celibacy? His sense of urgency to understand grows stronger and more intense with every clue he uncovers. There is something much greater at risk than his sanity though. In her death, Sabina held tight to a treasure that is said to unlock the mysteries of reincarnation, and it was stolen. Ironically, the cost of the treasure is valued in human lives.

“The Reincarnationist” is superbly written. It is fresh and compelling, creative and intellectual. This novel is a delightful mix of psychological thriller, suspense, and paranormal, and the writing is mesmerizing in its own right. With a plot that flows around the world and through a millennium of time, the excitement doesn’t stop until the book is reluctantly closed and completed. With sophistication and class, M.J. Rose offers a novel to be remembered.

Non- Fiction Spiritual Review

Courageous Souls
Do We Plan Our Life Challenges Before Birth?
By Robert Schwartz
ISBN-10: 0977679454
Review by Heather Froeschl

Why me? It is a question so often thought, cried, moaned, or screamed. Blame is placed on higher powers as surely as emotion is felt. Isn’t it possible though, that our trials and tribulations, our painful experiences, are full of purpose? What if an author would share with you that your own soul actually planned for these things to happen? That there is indeed a reason for it all? Robert Schwartz, author of “Courageous Souls,” shares his view that we plan our life challenges before birth. This is a must read book with my highest recommendation.

Robert begins by explaining his research of his own, very personal experiences with his spirit guides, and then the research he did with the help of four gifted mediums and channels. Through the life experiences of ten people, with the help of his team, Robert relays how those interviewed went through various life challenges, including drug addiction, accidents, physical illness, and the death of loved ones, and why. He interviews these people, shares their stories, then has the medium or channel delve into the pre-birth planning done by the soul. Here, the reader comes to understand the soul groups, soul mates, akashic records, spirit guides, and planning of the challenges and lessons we are on earth to face. Discussed in great detail is the fact that we are here on earth as personalities and that when the body dies, the soul goes on, and on, and on. We may have lived in a completely different part of the world before, with other souls who are now our husbands, parents, or children, and were then our friends, business partners, or even tormentors. As a soul group, the life is planned, with tremendous challenges that provide opportunity for growth.

I’ve always loved that quote, “"We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. How very true that is, and I believe it is the main point of Robert Schwartz’s book, “Courageous Souls.” Eloquently and purposefully delivered, the book is one that will help readers to understand these concepts, begin to understand why events in our lives take place, consider that things that happen to us are part of our lesson plan, replace the anger or guilt felt over situations with forgiveness and peace, and begin to recognize the patterns that are in your life that revolve around your own soul’s goal for you.

For anyone who has ever asked, “Why me?” and anyone who has ever felt that there had to be a reason for this life, I recommend “Courageous Souls.” For anyone and everyone, I say, please read this book; you’ll be absolutely enlightened.

Non-Fiction/Spirituality Review

Practical Guide To Past-Life Memories: Twelve Proven Methods
by Richard Webster
ISBN-10: 0738700770
Review by Heather Froeschl

Many people believe in reincarnation, myself included, but also, many are skeptics. Here is a chance for everyone to understand better those moments of dTja vu. Believers will have an easier time of it, but skeptics may just learn a little something along the way too, if not more so.

Richard Webster is a hypnotherapist and lecturer on many psychic topics. He is the author of over thirty books and is seen in many circles as a guru of the paranormal. In "Past-Life Memories" Richard gives us twelve proven methods of accessing the memories that are hidden in our brains.

By way of explanation of past life memories, the soul is a continuing energy that enters life again and again. We are here to learn lessons and to grow, but are usually without our memories of past lives so that these images do not interfere with what we are here to do. Certainly you may feel compelled to do certain things, such as staying far away from high places; perhaps in a past life you had fallen to your death from a cliff. But you may not understand your current fear of heights. By exploring your past life memories, you may be able to put those fears to rest and live happier in this life.

There are numerous methods of uncovering these memories, from dreaming of your past lives to scrying, hypnotherapy to spirit guide assistance, but since all of us are individuals, one method may work for some while it doesn't for others. Much like finding a comfortable position in which to sleep, you will need to try different things to see what works best for you, hence, Richard's twelve methods.

Mr. Webster has a wonderful voice in his works. He is knowledgeable and respected in his understanding of these topics; authoritative, yet he is gentle and convincing, a true teacher and guiding spirit. If you are interested in learning how to uncover your past life memories, this is the man you will want to learn from. The text is easy to understand and the lessons clearly written. I enjoyed reading the case histories that accompany each method of regression.

For anyone yearning to uncover the meaning behind an irrational fear, looking to see if their soulmate is involved in their current life, or wonders why they are drawn to certain places, this is the book to help you through it.